diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
index 36faf4e569c..4d96857e727 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
@@ -218,3 +218,5 @@ HDFS-2937. TestDFSHAAdmin needs tests with MiniDFSCluster. (Brandon Li via sures
 HDFS-2586. Add protobuf service and implementation for HAServiceProtocol. (suresh via atm)
 
 HDFS-2952. NN should not start with upgrade option or with a pending an unfinalized upgrade. (atm)
+
+HDFS-2974. MiniDFSCluster does not delete standby NN name dirs during format. (atm)
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
index 4511095cb45..7d40ed6108a 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
@@ -626,6 +626,15 @@ public class MiniDFSCluster {
       for (NNConf nn : nameservice.getNNs()) {
         initNameNodeConf(conf, nsId, nn.getNnId(), manageNameDfsDirs,
             nnCounterForFormat);
+        Collection<URI> namespaceDirs = FSNamesystem.getNamespaceDirs(conf);
+        if (format) {
+          for (URI nameDirUri : namespaceDirs) {
+            File nameDir = new File(nameDirUri);
+            if (nameDir.exists() && !FileUtil.fullyDelete(nameDir)) {
+              throw new IOException("Could not fully delete " + nameDir);
+            }
+          }
+        }
         
         boolean formatThisOne = format;
         if (format && i++ > 0) {
@@ -635,14 +644,14 @@ public class MiniDFSCluster {
           // from the first one.
           formatThisOne = false;
           assert (null != prevNNDirs);
-          copyNameDirs(prevNNDirs, FSNamesystem.getNamespaceDirs(conf), conf);
+          copyNameDirs(prevNNDirs, namespaceDirs, conf);
         }
         
         nnCounterForFormat++;
         if (formatThisOne) {
           DFSTestUtil.formatNameNode(conf);
         }
-        prevNNDirs = FSNamesystem.getNamespaceDirs(conf);
+        prevNNDirs = namespaceDirs;
       }
 
       // Start all Namenodes
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestCheckpoint.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestCheckpoint.java
index c1277299899..b298fd48b0f 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestCheckpoint.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestCheckpoint.java
@@ -655,6 +655,7 @@ public class TestCheckpoint extends TestCase {
     sdToLock.lock();
     try {      
       MiniDFSCluster cluster = new MiniDFSCluster.Builder(conf)
+        .format(false)
         .manageNameDfsDirs(false)
         .numDataNodes(0)
         .build();