diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index 4581af4fb..b613666c8 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -261,12 +261,25 @@ export default async function loadCli() { // eslint-disable-line complexity
 	if (resetCache) {
 		const cacheDir = path.join(projectDir, 'node_modules', '.cache', 'ava');
 		try {
-			if (fs.existsSync(cacheDir)) {
-				fs.rmSync(cacheDir, {recursive: true, force: true});
-				fs.mkdirSync(cacheDir);
-				console.log(`\n${chalk.green(figures.tick)} Emptied AVA cache cache directory ${cacheDir}`);
+			let entries;
+			try {
+				entries = fs.readdirSync(cacheDir);
+			} catch (error) {
+				if (error.code === 'ENOENT') {
+					entries = [];
+				} else {
+					throw error;
+				}
+			}
+
+			for (const entry of entries) {
+				fs.rmSync(path.join(cacheDir, entry), {recursive: true, force: true});
+			}
+
+			if (entries.length === 0) {
+				console.log(`\n${chalk.green(figures.tick)} No cache files to remove`);
 			} else {
-				console.log(`\n${chalk.green(figures.tick)} No cache directory to remove`);
+				console.log(`\n${chalk.green(figures.tick)} Removed AVA cache files in ${cacheDir}`);
 			}
 
 			process.exit(0); // eslint-disable-line unicorn/no-process-exit
diff --git a/test-tap/api.js b/test-tap/api.js
index baf7d902b..b395d81f8 100644
--- a/test-tap/api.js
+++ b/test-tap/api.js
@@ -379,10 +379,7 @@ for (const opt of options) {
 	});
 
 	test(`caching is enabled by default - workerThreads: ${opt.workerThreads}`, async t => {
-		const nodeModulesPath = path.join(__dirname, 'fixture/caching/node_modules');
-		if (fs.existsSync(nodeModulesPath)) {
-			fs.rmSync(nodeModulesPath, {recursive: true, force: true});
-		}
+		fs.rmSync(path.join(__dirname, 'fixture/caching/node_modules'), {recursive: true, force: true});
 
 		const api = await apiCreator({
 			...opt,
@@ -402,10 +399,7 @@ for (const opt of options) {
 	});
 
 	test(`caching can be disabled - workerThreads: ${opt.workerThreads}`, async t => {
-		const nodeModulesPath = path.join(__dirname, 'fixture/caching/node_modules');
-		if (fs.existsSync(nodeModulesPath)) {
-			fs.rmSync(nodeModulesPath, {recursive: true, force: true});
-		}
+		fs.rmSync(path.join(__dirname, 'fixture/caching/node_modules'), {recursive: true, force: true});
 
 		const api = await apiCreator({
 			...opt,