diff --git a/tests/gpgsm/export.scm b/tests/gpgsm/export.scm
--- a/tests/gpgsm/export.scm
+++ b/tests/gpgsm/export.scm
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  (lambda (cert)
    (lettmp (exported)
      (call-check `(,@gpgsm --output ,exported --export ,cert::uid::CN))
-     (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-gpgsm-environment
+     (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-gpgsm-environment-no-atexit
       (call-check `(,@gpgsm --import ,exported))
       (assert (sm-have-public-key? cert)))))
  (lambda (cert) cert::uid::CN)
diff --git a/tests/gpgsm/gpgsm-defs.scm b/tests/gpgsm/gpgsm-defs.scm
--- a/tests/gpgsm/gpgsm-defs.scm
+++ b/tests/gpgsm/gpgsm-defs.scm
@@ -99,3 +99,9 @@
       (call-check `(,(tool 'gpgtar) --extract --directory=. ,(cadr *args*)))
       (create-gpgsm-gpghome))
   (start-agent))
+
+(define (setup-gpgsm-environment-no-atexit)
+  (if (member "--unpack-tarball" *args*)
+      (call-check `(,(tool 'gpgtar) --extract --directory=. ,(cadr *args*)))
+      (create-gpgsm-gpghome))
+  (start-agent #t))
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/decrypt-session-key.scm b/tests/openpgp/decrypt-session-key.scm
--- a/tests/openpgp/decrypt-session-key.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/decrypt-session-key.scm
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
  (lambda (name)
    (let* ((source (in-srcdir "tests" "openpgp" (string-append name ".asc")))
 	  (key (get-session-key source)))
-     (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-environment
+     (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-environment-no-atexit
       (tr:do
        (tr:open source)
        (tr:gpg "" `(--yes --decrypt --override-session-key ,key))
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/decrypt-unwrap-verify.scm b/tests/openpgp/decrypt-unwrap-verify.scm
--- a/tests/openpgp/decrypt-unwrap-verify.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/decrypt-unwrap-verify.scm
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 
        ;; Then, verify the signature with a clean working directory
        ;; containing only Steve's public key.
-       (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-environment
+       (with-ephemeral-home-directory setup-environment-no-atexit
 	(call-check `(,@gpg --import ,steve's-key))
 	(call-check `(,@gpg --verify ,unwrapped)))))
   '("encsig-2-keys-3" "encsig-2-keys-4")))
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/defs.scm b/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
--- a/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
+++ b/tests/openpgp/defs.scm
@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@
   (create-gpghome)
   (start-agent))
 
+(define (setup-environment-no-atexit)
+  (create-gpghome)
+  (start-agent #t))
+
 (define (create-sample-files)
   (log "Creating sample data files")
   (for-each
@@ -448,12 +452,13 @@
   (preset-passphrases))
 
 ;; Create the socket dir and start the agent.
-(define (start-agent)
+(define (start-agent . args)
   (log "Starting gpg-agent...")
   (let ((gnupghome (getenv "GNUPGHOME")))
-    (atexit (lambda ()
-	      (with-home-directory gnupghome
-				   (stop-agent)))))
+    (if (null? args)
+	(atexit (lambda ()
+		  (with-home-directory gnupghome
+				       (stop-agent))))))
   (catch (log "Warning: Creating socket directory failed:" (car *error*))
 	 (gpg-conf '--create-socketdir))
   (call-check `(,(tool 'gpg-connect-agent) --verbose