diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_1d.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_1d.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_1d_cplx.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_1d_cplx.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_2d.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_2d.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_2d_cplx.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_2d_cplx.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_3d.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_3d.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_3d_cplx.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_3d_cplx.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_4d.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_4d.mat
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_4d_cplx.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_4d_cplx.mat
deleted file mode 100644
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/data/test_cell.mat b/xbob/io/base/data/test_cell.mat
deleted file mode 100644
index 1360c3f361ccb74f00c64e619b13e0390b9fd862..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
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diff --git a/xbob/io/base/test_file.py b/xbob/io/base/test_file.py
index 837b37b297b17ed610faf9f6739568c827ca7abc..431e32430f4ce94c4706bd991cc8feb8bb6b7747 100644
--- a/xbob/io/base/test_file.py
+++ b/xbob/io/base/test_file.py
@@ -263,53 +263,6 @@ def test_torch3_binary():
   # complete transcoding test
   transcode(test_utils.datafile('torch3.bindata', __name__))
 
-@test_utils.extension_available('.mat')
-def test_mat_file_io():
-
-  # array writing tests
-  a1 = numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3)).astype('float32')
-  a2 = numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3,4)).astype('float64')
-  a3 = numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3,4,5)).astype('complex128')
-  a4 = (10 * numpy.random.normal(size=(3,3))).astype('uint64')
-
-  array_readwrite('.mat', a1)
-  array_readwrite(".mat", a2)
-  array_readwrite('.mat', a3)
-  array_readwrite(".mat", a4)
-
-  # arrayset writing tests
-  a1 = []
-  a2 = []
-  a3 = []
-  a4 = []
-  for k in range(10):
-    a1.append(numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3)).astype('float32'))
-    a2.append(numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3,4)).astype('float64'))
-    a3.append(numpy.random.normal(size=(2,3,4,5)).astype('complex128'))
-    a4.append((10*numpy.random.normal(size=(3,3))).astype('uint64'))
-
-  arrayset_readwrite('.mat', a1)
-  arrayset_readwrite(".mat", a2)
-  arrayset_readwrite('.mat', a3)
-  arrayset_readwrite(".mat", a4)
-
-  # complete transcoding tests
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_1d.mat', __name__)) #pseudo 1D - matlab does not support true 1D
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_2d.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_3d.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_4d.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_1d_cplx.mat', __name__)) #pseudo 1D - matlab does not support 1D
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_2d_cplx.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_3d_cplx.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test_4d_cplx.mat', __name__))
-  transcode(test_utils.datafile('test.mat', __name__)) #3D complex, large
-
-@nose.tools.nottest
-@test_utils.extension_available('.mat')
-def test_mat_file_io_does_not_crash():
-
-  data = load(test_utils.datafile('test_cell.mat', __name__))
-
 @test_utils.extension_available('.tensor')
 def test_tensorfile():