diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index 3b7cdc56ec..577f32dc71 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'pack symlinked packed-refs' '
 	git for-each-ref >all-refs-packed &&
 	test_cmp all-refs-before all-refs-packed &&
 	test -h .git/packed-refs &&
-	test "$(readlink .git/packed-refs)" = "my-deviant-packed-refs"
+	test "$(test_readlink .git/packed-refs)" = "my-deviant-packed-refs"
 '
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t9802-git-p4-filetype.sh b/t/t9802-git-p4-filetype.sh
index 94edebe272..19073c6e9f 100755
--- a/t/t9802-git-p4-filetype.sh
+++ b/t/t9802-git-p4-filetype.sh
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'ensure p4 symlink parsed correctly' '
 	(
 		cd "$git" &&
 		test -L symlink &&
-		test $(readlink symlink) = symlink-target
+		test $(test_readlink symlink) = symlink-target
 	)
 '
 
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'empty symlink target' '
 	git p4 clone --dest="$git" //depot@all &&
 	(
 		cd "$git" &&
-		test $(readlink empty-symlink) = target2
+		test $(test_readlink empty-symlink) = target2
 	)
 '
 
diff --git a/t/test-lib-functions.sh b/t/test-lib-functions.sh
index f0448daa74..b2810478a2 100644
--- a/t/test-lib-functions.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib-functions.sh
@@ -1708,3 +1708,9 @@ test_region () {
 
 	return 0
 }
+
+# Print the destination of symlink(s) provided as arguments. Basically
+# the same as the readlink command, but it's not available everywhere.
+test_readlink () {
+	perl -le 'print readlink($_) for @ARGV' "$@"
+}