diff --git a/t/t1308-config-set.sh b/t/t1308-config-set.sh
index 7655c94c28..ff50960cca 100755
--- a/t/t1308-config-set.sh
+++ b/t/t1308-config-set.sh
@@ -219,14 +219,8 @@ test_expect_success 'check line errors for malformed values' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'error on modifying repo config without repo' '
-	mkdir no-repo &&
-	(
-		GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES=$(pwd) &&
-		export GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES &&
-		cd no-repo &&
-		test_must_fail git config a.b c 2>err &&
-		grep "not in a git directory" err
-	)
+	nongit test_must_fail git config a.b c 2>err &&
+	grep "not in a git directory" err
 '
 
 cmdline_config="'foo.bar=from-cmdline'"
diff --git a/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh b/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
index 92a3aa8063..8a8ba65a2a 100755
--- a/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
@@ -17,25 +17,12 @@ case "$GIT_SVN_LC_ALL" in
 	;;
 esac
 
-deepdir=nothing-above
-ceiling=$PWD
-
 test_expect_success 'git svn --version works anywhere' '
-	mkdir -p "$deepdir" && (
-		GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES="$ceiling" &&
-		export GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES &&
-		cd "$deepdir" &&
-		git svn --version
-	)
+	nongit git svn --version
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git svn help works anywhere' '
-	mkdir -p "$deepdir" && (
-		GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES="$ceiling" &&
-		export GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES &&
-		cd "$deepdir" &&
-		git svn help
-	)
+	nongit git svn help
 '
 
 test_expect_success \
diff --git a/t/t9902-completion.sh b/t/t9902-completion.sh
index 2ba62fbc17..a34e55f874 100755
--- a/t/t9902-completion.sh
+++ b/t/t9902-completion.sh
@@ -257,12 +257,7 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS '__gitdir - resulting path avoids symlinks' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success '__gitdir - not a git repository' '
-	(
-		cd subdir/subsubdir &&
-		GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES="$TRASH_DIRECTORY" &&
-		export GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES &&
-		test_must_fail __gitdir
-	)
+	nongit test_must_fail __gitdir
 '
 
 test_expect_success '__gitcomp - trailing space - options' '