diff --git a/cmd/swarm/fs_test.go b/cmd/swarm/fs_test.go
index 25705c0a49..0cbf0eb137 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/fs_test.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/fs_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with go-ethereum. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+// +build linux darwin freebsd
+
 package main
 
 import (
diff --git a/swarm/storage/ldbstore_test.go b/swarm/storage/ldbstore_test.go
index 2c706a75bd..2453d2f30b 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/ldbstore_test.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/ldbstore_test.go
@@ -59,12 +59,12 @@ func newTestDbStore(mock bool, trusted bool) (*testDbStore, func(), error) {
 	}
 
 	cleanup := func() {
-		if err != nil {
+		if db != nil {
 			db.Close()
 		}
 		err = os.RemoveAll(dir)
 		if err != nil {
-			panic("db cleanup failed")
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("db cleanup failed: %v", err))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/swarm/swarm_test.go b/swarm/swarm_test.go
index f82a9c6fac..e358c215d8 100644
--- a/swarm/swarm_test.go
+++ b/swarm/swarm_test.go
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@
 package swarm
 
 import (
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -42,6 +44,13 @@ func TestNewSwarm(t *testing.T) {
 	// a simple rpc endpoint for testing dialing
 	ipcEndpoint := path.Join(dir, "TestSwarm.ipc")
 
+	// windows namedpipes are not on filesystem but on NPFS
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		b := make([]byte, 8)
+		rand.Read(b)
+		ipcEndpoint = `\\.\pipe\TestSwarm-` + hex.EncodeToString(b)
+	}
+
 	_, server, err := rpc.StartIPCEndpoint(ipcEndpoint, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)