diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
index 3200c349fa2..053e12ebe4f 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2021-01-04  Simon Marchi  <simon.marchi@efficios.com>
+
+	* gdb.server/ext-run.exp: Use clean_restart.
+
 2021-01-04  Simon Marchi  <simon.marchi@efficios.com>
 
 	* gdb.server/stop-reply-no-thread.exp: Use build_executable
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/ext-run.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/ext-run.exp
index 7d657595463..92aef141784 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/ext-run.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/ext-run.exp
@@ -29,14 +29,10 @@ if {[build_executable $testfile.exp $testfile $srcfile debug] == -1} {
     return -1
 }
 
-# Start with a fresh gdb, gdb_skip_xml_test must be called while gdb
-# is not running.
-
-gdb_exit
+# gdb_skip_xml_test must be called while gdb is not running.
 set do_xml_test [expr ![gdb_skip_xml_test]]
-gdb_start
-gdb_load $binfile
-gdb_reinitialize_dir $srcdir/$subdir
+
+clean_restart $binfile
 
 # Make sure we're disconnected, in case we're testing with an
 # extended-remote board, therefore already connected.