diff --git a/t/t7003-filter-branch.sh b/t/t7003-filter-branch.sh
index 0da13a8d6b..fd7e3a113c 100755
--- a/t/t7003-filter-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t7003-filter-branch.sh
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ test_expect_success 'use index-filter to move into a subdirectory' '
 	          GIT_INDEX_FILE=\$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new \
 			git update-index --index-info &&
 		  mv \"\$GIT_INDEX_FILE.new\" \"\$GIT_INDEX_FILE\"" directorymoved &&
-	test -z "$(git diff HEAD directorymoved:newsubdir)"'
+	git diff --exit-code HEAD directorymoved:newsubdir
+'
 
 test_expect_success 'stops when msg filter fails' '
 	old=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&