diff --git a/backend/backend_test.go b/backend/backend_test.go
index 445eb0fd4..36a91cec6 100644
--- a/backend/backend_test.go
+++ b/backend/backend_test.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func testBackend(b backend.Backend, t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// remove content if requested
-		if *testCleanup {
+		if *TestCleanup {
 			for _, test := range TestStrings {
 				id, err := backend.ParseID(test.id)
 				OK(t, err)
diff --git a/backend/local_test.go b/backend/local_test.go
index d7f6eea2c..9bc903f0a 100644
--- a/backend/local_test.go
+++ b/backend/local_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package backend_test
 
 import (
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"testing"
@@ -10,8 +9,6 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/restic/restic/test"
 )
 
-var testCleanup = flag.Bool("test.cleanup", true, "clean up after running tests (remove local backend directory with all content)")
-
 func setupLocalBackend(t *testing.T) *local.Local {
 	tempdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "restic-test-")
 	OK(t, err)
@@ -25,7 +22,7 @@ func setupLocalBackend(t *testing.T) *local.Local {
 }
 
 func teardownLocalBackend(t *testing.T, b *local.Local) {
-	if !*testCleanup {
+	if !*TestCleanup {
 		t.Logf("leaving local backend at %s\n", b.Location())
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/backend/sftp_test.go b/backend/sftp_test.go
index f1fa12b2b..dded89ca8 100644
--- a/backend/sftp_test.go
+++ b/backend/sftp_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func setupSFTPBackend(t *testing.T) *sftp.SFTP {
 }
 
 func teardownSFTPBackend(t *testing.T, b *sftp.SFTP) {
-	if !*testCleanup {
+	if !*TestCleanup {
 		t.Logf("leaving backend at %s\n", b.Location())
 		return
 	}