use File::Temp qw( ); my $tmpdir = File::Temp->newdir( CLEANUP => 0 ); ... $tmpdir->unlink_on_destroy( 1 ) if $success; #### $ tt() { perl -e' use v5.14; use File::Temp qw( ); my $tmpdir = File::Temp->newdir( CLEANUP => 0 ); say $tmpdir; my $success = $ARGV[0]; $tmpdir->unlink_on_destroy( 1 ) if $success; ' -- "$@" } $ t() { local tmpdir=$( tt "$@" ) if [ -e "$tmpdir" ]; then echo Preserved rm -r -- "$tmpdir" else echo Cleaned fi } $ t 0 Preserved $ t 1 Cleaned