diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/libs/LibraryAdder.java b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/libs/LibraryAdder.java
index a57ba1e6..9511e98f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/libs/LibraryAdder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/libs/LibraryAdder.java
@@ -244,7 +244,14 @@ static List<URL> retrieve(@NonNull LibraryRecord record, @NonNull LibraryRetriev
                         if (retrieve) {
                             listener.getLogger().println("Caching library " + name + "@" + version);
                             versionCacheDir.mkdirs();
-                            retriever.retrieve(name, version, changelog, versionCacheDir, run, listener);
+                            // try to retrieve the library and delete the versionCacheDir if it fails
+                            try {
+                                retriever.retrieve(name, version, changelog, versionCacheDir, run, listener);
+                            } catch (Exception e) {
+                                listener.getLogger().println("Failed to cache library " + name + "@" + version + ". Error message: " + e.getMessage() + ". Cleaning up cache directory.");
+                                versionCacheDir.deleteRecursive();
+                                throw e;
+                            }
                         }
                         retrieveLock.readLock().lock();
                     } finally {
@@ -416,4 +423,4 @@ static String className(String groovy, String root) {
 
     }
 
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file