diff --git a/overlord/snapstate/handlers_components.go b/overlord/snapstate/handlers_components.go
index 8a4eb419e64..97eb10986f8 100644
--- a/overlord/snapstate/handlers_components.go
+++ b/overlord/snapstate/handlers_components.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ package snapstate
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/logger"
@@ -291,6 +292,15 @@ func (m *SnapManager) doMountComponent(t *state.Task, _ *tomb.Tomb) (err error)
 	perfTimings.Save(st)
 	st.Unlock()
 
+	// if we're removing the snap file and we are mounting a component for the
+	// firs time, then we know that the component also must be coming from an
+	// emphemeral file. in that case, remove it.
+	if snapsup.RemoveSnapPath {
+		if err := os.Remove(compSetup.CompPath); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/overlord/snapstate/snapstate_install_test.go b/overlord/snapstate/snapstate_install_test.go
index c6b23c0dfb2..8eddb32ed61 100644
--- a/overlord/snapstate/snapstate_install_test.go
+++ b/overlord/snapstate/snapstate_install_test.go
@@ -6580,8 +6580,9 @@ func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathNoneRunThrough(c *C) {
 		undo        = false
 		snapName    = "test-snap"
 		instanceKey = ""
+		removePaths = false
 	)
-	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, nil, undo)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, nil, undo, removePaths)
 }
 
 func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathOneRunThrough(c *C) {
@@ -6589,8 +6590,9 @@ func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathOneRunThrough(c *C) {
 		undo        = false
 		snapName    = "test-snap"
 		instanceKey = ""
+		removePaths = false
 	)
-	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component"}, undo)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component"}, undo, removePaths)
 }
 
 func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathManyRunThrough(c *C) {
@@ -6598,8 +6600,9 @@ func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathManyRunThrough(c *C) {
 		undo        = false
 		snapName    = "test-snap"
 		instanceKey = ""
+		removePaths = false
 	)
-	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo, removePaths)
 }
 
 func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathManyInstanceRunThrough(c *C) {
@@ -6607,8 +6610,9 @@ func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathManyInstanceRunThrough(c
 		undo        = false
 		snapName    = "test-snap"
 		instanceKey = "key"
+		removePaths = false
 	)
-	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo, removePaths)
 }
 
 func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathInstanceRunThroughUndo(c *C) {
@@ -6616,11 +6620,22 @@ func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathInstanceRunThroughUndo(c
 		undo        = true
 		snapName    = "test-snap"
 		instanceKey = "key"
+		removePaths = false
 	)
-	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo, removePaths)
 }
 
-func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c *C, snapName, instanceKey string, compNames []string, undo bool) {
+func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) TestInstallComponentsFromPathManyRemovePaths(c *C) {
+	const (
+		undo        = false
+		snapName    = "test-snap"
+		instanceKey = ""
+		removePaths = true
+	)
+	s.testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c, snapName, instanceKey, []string{"test-component", "kernel-modules-component"}, undo, removePaths)
+}
+
+func (s *snapmgrTestSuite) testInstallComponentsFromPathRunThrough(c *C, snapName, instanceKey string, compNames []string, undo bool, removePaths bool) {
 	s.state.Lock()
 	defer s.state.Unlock()
 
@@ -6692,7 +6707,10 @@ components:
 	goal := snapstate.PathInstallGoal(instanceName, snapPath, si, components, snapstate.RevisionOptions{})
 
 	info, ts, err := snapstate.InstallOne(context.Background(), s.state, goal, snapstate.Options{
-		Flags: snapstate.Flags{Required: true},
+		Flags: snapstate.Flags{
+			Required:       true,
+			RemoveSnapPath: removePaths,
+		},
 	})
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	c.Check(info.InstanceName(), Equals, instanceName)
@@ -6828,6 +6846,18 @@ components:
 
 		// make sure that all of our components are accounted for
 		c.Assert(snapst.Sequence.Revisions[0].Components, DeepEquals, compst)
+
+		// if we requested that the snap be removed after install, then make
+		// sure it is gone. otherwise, make sure that it is still there
+		fileChecker := testutil.FilePresent
+		if removePaths {
+			fileChecker = testutil.FileAbsent
+		}
+
+		c.Check(snapPath, fileChecker)
+		for _, compPath := range components {
+			c.Check(compPath, fileChecker)
+		}
 	}
 }