diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
index a3cb5e1208fe7..c54df43450af4 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #   On RedHat,
 #       $1=0         : indicates a removal
 #       $1=1         : indicates an upgrade
-
 REMOVE_DIRS=false
 REMOVE_USER_AND_GROUP=false
 
@@ -55,6 +54,13 @@ if [ "$REMOVE_DIRS" = "true" ]; then
         echo " OK"
     fi
 
+    # plugins may have contained bin files
+    if [ -d /usr/share/elasticsearch/bin ]; then
+        echo -n "Deleting plugin bin directories..."
+        rm -rf /usr/share/elasticsearch/bin
+        echo " OK"
+    fi
+
     if [ -d /var/run/elasticsearch ]; then
         echo -n "Deleting PID directory..."
         rm -rf /var/run/elasticsearch
diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
index c664e28931087..b6717cebd709e 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ public void test40StartServer() throws Exception {
     public void test50Remove() throws Exception {
         assumeThat(installation, is(notNullValue()));
 
+        // add fake bin directory as if a plugin was installed
+        Files.createDirectories(installation.bin.resolve("myplugin"));
+
         remove(distribution());
 
         // removing must stop the service