@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@
 	   ((equal? status "PASS") "PASS") ;; skip the message part if status is pass
 	   (status (conc (configf:lookup dat "final" "exit-status") ": " (if msg msg "no message")))
 	   (else #f)))
 	#f)))
 
-(define (launch:runstep ezstep run-id test-id exit-info m tal testconfig)
+(define (launch:runstep ezstep run-id test-id exit-info m tal testconfig) ;;; TODO: deprecate me in favor of ezsteps.scm
   (let* ((stepname       (car ezstep))  ;; do stuff to run the step
 	 (stepinfo       (cadr ezstep))
 	;; (let ((info (cadr ezstep)))
 	;; 		   (if (proc? info) "" info)))
 	;; (stepproc       (let ((info (cadr ezstep)))
@@ -645,11 +645,14 @@
 	      (rmt:test-set-state-status run-id test-id "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "n/a" #f)
 	      )
 	     (else ;; (member (db:test-get-state test-info) '("REMOVING" "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "RUNNING" "KILLREQ"))
 	      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "test state is " (db:test-get-state test-info) ", cannot proceed")
 	      (exit))))
-	  
+
+          ;; cleanup prior execution's steps
+          (rmt:delete-steps-for-test! run-id test-id)
+          
 	  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "Executing " test-name " (id: " test-id ") on " (get-host-name))
 	  (set! keys       (rmt:get-keys))
 	  ;; (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inkeys: keys inkeyvals: keyvals) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
 	  ;; one of these is defunct/redundant ...
 	  (if (not (launch:setup force-reread: #t))