diff --git a/src/aiori-MPIIO.c b/src/aiori-MPIIO.c
index 28c4f2c5..aefbfb47 100755
--- a/src/aiori-MPIIO.c
+++ b/src/aiori-MPIIO.c
@@ -626,8 +626,7 @@ void MPIIO_Delete(char *testFileName, aiori_mod_opt_t * module_options)
   mpiio_options_t * param = (mpiio_options_t*) module_options;
   if(hints->dryRun)
     return;
-  MPI_CHECKF(MPI_File_delete(testFileName, (MPI_Info) MPI_INFO_NULL),
-             "cannot delete file: %s", testFileName);
+  MPI_File_delete(testFileName, (MPI_Info) MPI_INFO_NULL);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/ior.c b/src/ior.c
index cb386cb4..d88b30f1 100755
--- a/src/ior.c
+++ b/src/ior.c
@@ -1195,6 +1195,12 @@ static void TestIoSys(IOR_test_t *test)
           }
         }
 
+#ifndef IOR_SKIP_DELETE
+        /* touch the file system to load up any client-side libraries */
+        GetTestFileName(testFileName, params);
+        backend->delete(testFileName, params->backend_options);
+#endif
+
         for (rep = 0; rep < params->repetitions; rep++) {
                 /* Get iteration start time in seconds in task 0 and broadcast to
                    all tasks */