diff --git a/tests/rptest/tests/nodes_decommissioning_test.py b/tests/rptest/tests/nodes_decommissioning_test.py
index 1709644adc88..fb7a24d37e58 100644
--- a/tests/rptest/tests/nodes_decommissioning_test.py
+++ b/tests/rptest/tests/nodes_decommissioning_test.py
@@ -550,6 +550,8 @@ def test_decommissioning_rebalancing_node(self, shutdown_decommissioned):
         self.start_consumer(1)
         self.await_startup(min_records=self.records_to_wait(), timeout_sec=120)
         # throttle recovery
+        self.redpanda.clean_node(self.redpanda.nodes[-1],
+                                 preserve_current_install=True)
         self.redpanda.start_node(self.redpanda.nodes[-1])
         self._set_recovery_rate(10)
         # wait for rebalancing to start