diff --git a/cmd/tapir/uploads_test.go b/cmd/tapir/uploads_test.go
index 6d33f92..a18c02e 100644
--- a/cmd/tapir/uploads_test.go
+++ b/cmd/tapir/uploads_test.go
@@ -104,3 +104,24 @@ func TestBuildUploads_EnabledWithoutAGatewayIsAnError(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Error(t, err, "uploads on with nowhere to transcribe must fail loudly at start-up, not at the first upload")
 }
+
+func TestBuildUploads_RemovesAudioLeftBehindByACrash(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := uploadCfg(t, true)
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(cfg.UploadTmpDir, 0o700))
+	leftovers := []string{"upload-123", "wav-456"}
+	for _, n := range leftovers {
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(cfg.UploadTmpDir, n), []byte("audio"), 0o600))
+	}
+	unrelated := filepath.Join(cfg.UploadTmpDir, "someone-elses-file")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(unrelated, []byte("keep"), 0o600))
+
+	_, _, err := buildUploads(context.Background(), cfg, &fakeUploadsStore{}, quietLog())
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	for _, n := range leftovers {
+		_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(cfg.UploadTmpDir, n))
+		assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "%s: audio is never retained, so a spooled file from a crashed run must not survive start-up", n)
+	}
+	_, err = os.Stat(unrelated)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "only our own spool files are removed")
+}