diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_java.yml b/.github/workflows/test_java.yml
index 5c7c487f56d1..2939620b7eb3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_java.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_java.yml
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ jobs:
           mvn install:install-file -Dfile=bazel-bin/java/kotlin-lite/kotlin-lite_mvn-project.jar -DpomFile=bazel-bin/java/kotlin-lite/kotlin-lite_mvn-pom.xml
           mvn install:install-file -Dfile=bazel-bin/java/kotlin/kotlin_mvn-project.jar -DpomFile=bazel-bin/java/kotlin/kotlin_mvn-pom.xml
           mvn install:install-file -Dfile=bazel-bin/java/util/util_mvn-project.jar -DpomFile=bazel-bin/java/util/util_mvn-pom.xml
+    - name: Clean up
+      run: |
+        sudo rm -rf _build
     - name: Validate Protobuf BOM
       uses: googleapis/java-cloud-bom/tests/validate-bom@fd56f04bb0bc581776a74031591f0b3bc5e7920a # v26.13.0
       with: