diff --git a/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go b/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
index 8d434b5fb6..3e66d12749 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
@@ -17,12 +17,26 @@ import (
 // we keep the states and locks in package-level variables, so that they can be
 // accessed from multiple instances of the backend. This better emulates
 // backend instances accessing a single remote data store.
-var states = stateMap{
-	m: map[string]*remote.State{},
+var (
+	states stateMap
+	locks  lockMap
+)
+
+func init() {
+	Reset()
 }
 
-var locks = lockMap{
-	m: map[string]*state.LockInfo{},
+// Reset clears out all existing state and lock data.
+// This is used to initialize the package during init, as well as between
+// tests.
+func Reset() {
+	states = stateMap{
+		m: map[string]*remote.State{},
+	}
+
+	locks = lockMap{
+		m: map[string]*state.LockInfo{},
+	}
 }
 
 // New creates a new backend for Inmem remote state.
diff --git a/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend_test.go b/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend_test.go
index 4398591bdf..1f4ab11386 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend_test.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend_test.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/backend"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state/remote"
 )
 
@@ -12,19 +11,8 @@ func TestBackend_impl(t *testing.T) {
 	var _ backend.Backend = new(Backend)
 }
 
-// reset the states and locks between tests
-func reset() {
-	states = stateMap{
-		m: map[string]*remote.State{},
-	}
-
-	locks = lockMap{
-		m: map[string]*state.LockInfo{},
-	}
-}
-
 func TestBackendConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	defer reset()
+	defer Reset()
 	testID := "test_lock_id"
 
 	config := map[string]interface{}{
@@ -49,13 +37,13 @@ func TestBackendConfig(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestBackend(t *testing.T) {
-	defer reset()
+	defer Reset()
 	b := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), nil).(*Backend)
 	backend.TestBackend(t, b, nil)
 }
 
 func TestBackendLocked(t *testing.T) {
-	defer reset()
+	defer Reset()
 	b1 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), nil).(*Backend)
 	b2 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), nil).(*Backend)
 
diff --git a/backend/remote-state/inmem/client_test.go b/backend/remote-state/inmem/client_test.go
index c040a6e72f..3a0fa8f30b 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/inmem/client_test.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/inmem/client_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ func TestRemoteClient_impl(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRemoteClient(t *testing.T) {
-	defer reset()
+	defer Reset()
 	b := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), nil)
 
 	s, err := b.State(backend.DefaultStateName)
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func TestRemoteClient(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestInmemLocks(t *testing.T) {
-	defer reset()
+	defer Reset()
 	s, err := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), nil).State(backend.DefaultStateName)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)