diff --git a/awx/main/tasks/receptor.py b/awx/main/tasks/receptor.py
index 0a68800a4d..91151bf3e2 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks/receptor.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks/receptor.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 import concurrent.futures
 from enum import Enum
 import logging
+import os
+import shutil
 import socket
 import sys
 import threading
@@ -330,6 +332,12 @@ class AWXReceptorJob:
 
         transmitter_thread.join()
 
+        # Artifacts are an output, but sometimes they are an input as well
+        # this is the case with fact cache, where clearing facts deletes a file, and this must be captured
+        artifact_dir = os.path.join(self.runner_params['private_data_dir'], 'artifacts')
+        if os.path.exists(artifact_dir):
+            shutil.rmtree(artifact_dir)
+
         resultsock, resultfile = receptor_ctl.get_work_results(self.unit_id, return_socket=True, return_sockfile=True)
         # Both "processor" and "cancel_watcher" are spawned in separate threads.
         # We wait for the first one to return. If cancel_watcher returns first,