diff --git a/pavelib/assets.py b/pavelib/assets.py
index 1faa8facdb..a70c083fac 100644
--- a/pavelib/assets.py
+++ b/pavelib/assets.py
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ def collect_assets(systems, settings):
     `settings` is the Django settings module to use.
     """
     for sys in systems:
-        sh(django_cmd(sys, settings, "collectstatic --noinput > /dev/null"))
+        sh(django_cmd(sys, settings, "collectstatic --clear --noinput"))
         print("\t\tFinished collecting {} assets.".format(sys))
 
 
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
index 126f016670..1c3b2f6964 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ EXPECTED_PREPROCESS_ASSETS_COMMAND = (
     u" {system}/static/sass/*.scss {system}/static/themed_sass"
 )
 EXPECTED_COLLECT_STATIC_COMMAND = (
-    u"python manage.py {system} --settings={asset_settings} collectstatic --noinput > /dev/null"
+    u"python manage.py {system} --settings={asset_settings} collectstatic --clear --noinput"
 )
 EXPECTED_CELERY_COMMAND = (
     u"python manage.py lms --settings={settings} celery worker --beat --loglevel=INFO --pythonpath=."
diff --git a/test_root/.gitignore b/test_root/.gitignore
index a17bd47875..b3e5512f73 100644
--- a/test_root/.gitignore
+++ b/test_root/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 local_repo
 remote_repo
-staticfiles
diff --git a/test_root/staticfiles/cms/.gitkeep b/test_root/staticfiles/cms/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/test_root/staticfiles/lms/.gitkeep b/test_root/staticfiles/lms/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2