diff --git a/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go b/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
index 212331d8e..6a03f7b3b 100644
--- a/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
+++ b/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ func (t *babelTransformation) Transform(ctx *resources.ResourceTransformationCtx
 	cmdArgs = append(cmdArgs, hexec.WithStdout(stderr))
 	cmdArgs = append(cmdArgs, hexec.WithEnviron(hugo.GetExecEnviron(t.rs.Cfg.BaseConfig().WorkingDir, t.rs.Cfg, t.rs.BaseFs.Assets.Fs)))
 
-	defer os.Remove(compileOutput.Name())
+	defer func() {
+			compileOutput.Close()
+			os.Remove(compileOutput.Name())
+	}()
 
 	// ARGA [--no-install babel --config-file /private/var/folders/_g/j3j21hts4fn7__h04w2x8gb40000gn/T/hugo-test-babel812882892/babel.config.js --source-maps --filename=js/main2.js --out-file=/var/folders/_g/j3j21hts4fn7__h04w2x8gb40000gn/T/compileOut-2237820197.js]
 	//      [--no-install babel --config-file /private/var/folders/_g/j3j21hts4fn7__h04w2x8gb40000gn/T/hugo-test-babel332846848/babel.config.js --filename=js/main.js --out-file=/var/folders/_g/j3j21hts4fn7__h04w2x8gb40000gn/T/compileOut-1451390834.js 0x10304ee60 0x10304ed60 0x10304f060]