diff --git a/tests/java/check-kinit.in b/tests/java/check-kinit.in
index 0a4887f16..1ef59f74b 100644
--- a/tests/java/check-kinit.in
+++ b/tests/java/check-kinit.in
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ echo "Compile"
 javac -d "${objdir}" "${srcdir}/KerberosInit.java" || \
     { echo "Failed to compile java program: $?" ; exit 77; }
 
+> messages.log
+
 echo Creating database
 ${kadmin} \
     init \