diff --git a/tests/openpgp/defs.scm b/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
index e484e8633..48ac46c03 100644
--- a/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
@@ -146,3 +146,20 @@
 (let ((verbose (string->number (getenv "verbose"))))
   (if (number? verbose)
       (*set-verbose!* verbose)))
+
+;; Create the socket dir and start the agent.
+(define (start-agent)
+  (echo "Starting gpg-agent...")
+  (catch (echo "Warning: Creating socket directory failed:" (car *error*))
+	 (call-popen `(,(tool 'gpgconf) --create-socketdir) ""))
+  (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose
+		,(string-append "--agent-program=" (tool 'gpg-agent)
+				"|--debug-quick-random")
+		/bye)))
+
+;; Stop the agent and remove the socket dir.
+(define (stop-agent)
+  (echo "Stopping gpg-agent...")
+  (catch (echo "Warning: Removing socket directory failed.")
+	 (call-popen `(,(tool 'gpgconf) --remove-socketdir) ""))
+  (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose killagent /bye)))
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/finish.scm b/tests/openpgp/finish.scm
index 48801c861..37845ae4c 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/finish.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/finish.scm
@@ -19,5 +19,4 @@
 
 (load (with-path "defs.scm"))
 
-(echo "Killing gpg-agent...")
-(call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose killagent /bye))
+(stop-agent)
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/setup.scm b/tests/openpgp/setup.scm
index 75310d124..99fbdeaf1 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/setup.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/setup.scm
@@ -95,13 +95,7 @@
    (pipe:spawn `(,@GPG --dearmor))
    (pipe:spawn `(,@GPG --yes --import))))
 
-(define (start-agent)
-  (echo "Starting gpg-agent...")
-  (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose
-		,(string-append "--agent-program=" (tool 'gpg-agent)
-				"|--debug-quick-random")
-		/bye))
-
+(define (preset-passphrases)
   (info "Preset passphrases")
   ;; one@example.com
   (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-preset-passphrase)
@@ -119,19 +113,18 @@
 		"A0747D5F9425E6664F4FFBEED20FBCA79FDED2BD"))
   (echo "All set up."))
 
-(define (kill-agent)
-  (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose killagent /bye)))
-
 (cond
  ((member "--create-tarball" *args*)
   (with-temporary-working-directory
    (setenv "GNUPGHOME" (getcwd) #t)
    (create-gpghome)
-   (kill-agent)
+   (stop-agent)
    (call-check `(,(tool 'gpgtar) --create --output ,(cadr *args*) "."))))
  ((member "--unpack-tarball" *args*)
   (call-check `(,(tool 'gpgtar) --extract --directory=. ,(cadr *args*)))
-  (start-agent))
+  (start-agent)
+  (preset-passphrases))
  (else
   (create-gpghome)
-  (start-agent)))
+  (start-agent)
+  (preset-passphrases)))