diff --git a/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh b/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
index f1801e72db..d0140366fa 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
+++ b/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ fi
 # clear scons cache dirs that haven't been written to in one day
 cd /tmp && find -name 'scons_cache_*' -type d -maxdepth 1 -mtime +1 -exec rm -rf '{}' \;
 
+# this can get really big on the CI devices
+rm -rf /data/core
+
 # set up environment
 cd $SOURCE_DIR
 git reset --hard