diff --git a/playground/socket/socket.go b/playground/socket/socket.go
index 953ea149fa..7101ce4e8b 100644
--- a/playground/socket/socket.go
+++ b/playground/socket/socket.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (p *process) start(body string, opt *Options) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer os.RemoveAll(path)
+	p.path = path // to be removed by p.end
 
 	out := "prog"
 	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
@@ -385,7 +385,6 @@ func (p *process) start(body string, opt *Options) error {
 	}
 
 	// build x.go, creating x
-	p.path = path // to be removed by p.end
 	args := []string{"go", "build", "-tags", "OMIT"}
 	if opt != nil && opt.Race {
 		p.out <- &Message{