diff --git a/t/lib-git-p4.sh b/t/lib-git-p4.sh
index 309db31683..31d75ae043 100644
--- a/t/lib-git-p4.sh
+++ b/t/lib-git-p4.sh
@@ -99,5 +99,6 @@ kill_p4d() {
 }
 
 cleanup_git() {
-	rm -rf "$git"
+	rm -rf "$git" &&
+	mkdir "$git"
 }
diff --git a/t/t9800-git-p4-basic.sh b/t/t9800-git-p4-basic.sh
index 60c1f57ebe..234f72720e 100755
--- a/t/t9800-git-p4-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t9800-git-p4-basic.sh
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ test_expect_success 'wildcard files submit back to p4, delete' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'clone bare' '
+	rm -rf "$git" &&
 	git p4 clone --dest="$git" --bare //depot &&
 	test_when_finished cleanup_git &&
 	(
diff --git a/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh b/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh
index a37c6cbd7c..fa40cc8bb5 100755
--- a/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh
+++ b/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ test_expect_success 'clone --use-client-spec' '
 	cleanup_git &&
 
 	# same thing again, this time with variable instead of option
-	mkdir "$git" &&
 	(
 		cd "$git" &&
 		git init &&