diff --git a/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py b/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
index 0d20daaed..b07440692 100644
--- a/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
+++ b/release_tester/arangodb/sh.py
@@ -390,10 +390,20 @@ 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):
         """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:
@@ -406,9 +416,13 @@ def clear_test_data(self, testname, args=None, result_line_handler=default_line_
             cmd=[
                 "cleaning up test data",
                 self.cfg.test_data_dir.resolve() / "cleardata.js",
-            ]
-            + test_filter,
-            args=args + ["--progress", "true"],
+            ],
+            args=args + [
+                '--progress', 'true',
+                '--oldVersion', self.old_version,
+                '--testFoxx', 'true' if supports_foxx_tests else 'false',
+                '--passvoid', self.cfg.passvoid
+            ] + test_filter,
             progressive_timeout=5,
             result_line_handler=result_line_handler,
         )
diff --git a/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py b/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
index cfff3fda4..abe4e5aac 100644
--- a/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
+++ b/release_tester/arangodb/starter/deployments/runner.py
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ def run(self):
         bound = 1 if is_single_test else versions_count - 1
 
         for i in range(0, bound):
+            print('yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy')
             self.old_installer = self.installers[i][1]
             if i == 0:
                 # if i != 0, it means that self.cfg was already updated after chain-upgrade
@@ -385,6 +386,10 @@ def run(self):
                     self.finish_setup()
                 if self.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()
@@ -403,10 +408,16 @@ def run(self):
                     self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
                     self.create_non_backup_data()
                     taken_backups = self.list_backup()
-                    backup_no = len(taken_backups) - 1
-                    self.upload_backup(taken_backups[backup_no])
+                    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)
                     self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
-                    self.delete_backup(taken_backups[backup_no])
+                    self.delete_backup(work_backup)
                     self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
                     backups = self.list_backup()
                     if len(backups) != len(taken_backups) - 1:
@@ -425,6 +436,15 @@ def run(self):
                     self.check_data_impl()
                     if not self.check_non_backup_data():
                         raise Exception("data created after backup is still there??")
+                    self.clear_data_impl()
+                    print('zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz')
+                    self.restore_backup(backups[len(backups) - 1])
+                    self.tcp_ping_all_nodes()
+                    self.after_backup()
+                    time.sleep(20)  # TODO fix
+                    self.check_data_impl()
+                    if not self.check_non_backup_data():
+                        raise Exception("data created after backup is still there??")
 
             if self.new_installer:
                 if self.hot_backup:
@@ -891,6 +911,44 @@ 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
+        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
+                arangosh = starter.arangosh
+                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,
+                        )
+                    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"""
@@ -1040,6 +1098,7 @@ def search_for_warnings(self, print_lines=True):
     @step
     def zip_test_dir(self):
         """💾 store the test directory for later analysis"""
+        return #TODO
         build_number = os.environ.get("BUILD_NUMBER")
         if build_number:
             build_number = "_" + build_number