diff --git a/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py b/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
index 4c3016f2..48deafe0 100644
--- a/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
+++ b/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
@@ -440,10 +440,24 @@ def check_test_data(
         return ret
 
     @step
-    def clear_test_data(self, testname, args=None, result_line_handler=default_line_result):
+    def clear_test_data(
+            self,
+            testname,
+            supports_foxx_tests,
+            args=None,
+            one_shard: bool = False,
+            database_name: str = "_system",
+            result_line_handler=default_line_result,
+            log_debug=False,
+            deadline=900,
+            progressive_timeout=25
+    ):
         """flush the testdata from the instance again"""
         if args is None:
             args = []
+        args = [database_name] + args
+        if one_shard:
+            args += ["--singleShard", "true"]
         if testname:
             logging.info("removing test data for {0}".format(testname))
         else:
@@ -452,15 +466,22 @@ def clear_test_data(self, testname, args=None, result_line_handler=default_line_
         test_filter = []
         if self.cfg.test != "":
             test_filter = ["--test", self.cfg.test]
+        if self.cfg.skip != "":
+            test_filter += ["--skip", self.cfg.skip]
         ret = self.run_script_monitored(
             cmd=[
                 "cleaning up test data",
                 self.cfg.test_data_dir.resolve() / "cleardata.js",
-            ]
-            + test_filter,
-            args=args + ["--progress", "true"],
-            progressive_timeout=5,
+            ],
+            args=args + [
+                "--progress", "true",
+                '--testFoxx', 'true' if supports_foxx_tests else 'false',
+            ] + test_filter,
+            progressive_timeout=progressive_timeout,
             result_line_handler=result_line_handler,
+            verbose=self.cfg.verbose or log_debug,
+            log_debug=log_debug,
+            deadline=deadline,
         )
 
         return ret
diff --git a/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py b/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
index c5e29e20..22c848ae 100644
--- a/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
+++ b/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
@@ -262,6 +262,10 @@ def run(self):
             self.makedata_instances[0].arangosh.self_test()
             if self.props.create_oneshard_db:
                 self.custom_databases.append(["system_oneshard_makedata", True, 1])
+            if self.hot_backup:
+                self.progress(False, "TESTING empty HOTBACKUP")
+                self.empty_backup_name = self.create_backup("empty_" + self.name)
+
             self.make_data()
             self.after_makedata_check()
             self.check_data_impl()
@@ -279,6 +283,15 @@ def run(self):
                 self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
                 self.create_non_backup_data()
                 taken_backups = self.list_backup()
+                work_backup = ""
+                for one_backup in taken_backups:
+                    print(one_backup)
+                    if one_backup.startswith(self.backup_name):
+                        work_backup = one_backup
+                if work_backup == "":
+                    raise Exception("backup {self.backup_name} not found in {taken_backups}")
+                self.upload_backup(work_backup)
+
                 backup_no = len(taken_backups) - 1
                 self.upload_backup(taken_backups[backup_no])
                 self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
@@ -293,6 +306,7 @@ def run(self):
                 backups = self.list_backup()
                 if backups[len(backups) - 1] != self.backup_name:
                     raise Exception("downloaded backup has different name? " + str(backups))
+                self.clear_data_impl()
                 self.before_backup()
                 self.restore_backup(backups[len(backups) - 1])
                 self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
@@ -774,6 +788,47 @@ def check_data_impl(self):
         if not frontend_found:
             raise Exception("no frontend found.")
 
+    @step
+    def clear_data_impl(self):
+        """clear the data on the installation"""
+        frontend_found = False
+        deadline = 1800 if self.cfg.is_instrumented else 900
+        progressive_timeout = 1000 if self.cfg.is_instrumented else 25
+        if self.has_makedata_data:
+            print(self.makedata_instances)
+            for starter in self.makedata_instances:
+                if not starter.is_leader:
+                    continue
+                assert starter.arangosh, "check: this starter doesn't have an arangosh!"
+                frontend_found = True
+                for db_name, one_shard, count_offset in self.makedata_databases()[::-1]:
+                    print(db_name, one_shard, count_offset)
+                    try:
+                        starter.arangosh.clear_test_data(
+                            self.name,
+                            starter.supports_foxx_tests,
+                            args=["--countOffset", str(count_offset)],
+                            database_name=db_name,
+                            one_shard=one_shard,
+                            deadline=deadline,
+                            progressive_timeout=progressive_timeout,
+                        )
+                    except CliExecutionException as exc:
+                        print("cleardata failed!")
+                        print(exc)
+                        if not self.cfg.verbose:
+                            print(exc.execution_result[1])
+                            self.ask_continue_or_exit(
+                                f"check_data has failed for {self.name} in database {db_name} with {exc}",
+                                exc.execution_result[1],
+                                False,
+                                exc,
+                            )
+                print("Done cleanup")
+                return
+        if not frontend_found:
+            raise Exception("no frontend found.")
+
     @step
     def create_non_backup_data(self):
         """create data to be zapped by the restore operation"""