diff --git a/t/Makefile b/t/Makefile
index 2373a04f7a..8fd1a72357 100644
--- a/t/Makefile
+++ b/t/Makefile
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ test: pre-clean $(TEST_LINT)
 	$(MAKE) aggregate-results-and-cleanup
 
 prove: pre-clean $(TEST_LINT)
-	@echo "*** prove ***"; GIT_CONFIG=.git/config $(PROVE) --exec '$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)' $(GIT_PROVE_OPTS) $(T) :: $(GIT_TEST_OPTS)
+	@echo "*** prove ***"; $(PROVE) --exec '$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)' $(GIT_PROVE_OPTS) $(T) :: $(GIT_TEST_OPTS)
 	$(MAKE) clean-except-prove-cache
 
 $(T):
-	@echo "*** $@ ***"; GIT_CONFIG=.git/config '$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)' $@ $(GIT_TEST_OPTS)
+	@echo "*** $@ ***"; '$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)' $@ $(GIT_TEST_OPTS)
 
 pre-clean:
 	$(RM) -r '$(TEST_RESULTS_DIRECTORY_SQ)'
diff --git a/t/t0001-init.sh b/t/t0001-init.sh
index 9fb582b192..bbc9cb60dd 100755
--- a/t/t0001-init.sh
+++ b/t/t0001-init.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ check_config () {
 		echo "expected a directory $1, a file $1/config and $1/refs"
 		return 1
 	fi
-	bare=$(GIT_CONFIG="$1/config" git config --bool core.bare)
-	worktree=$(GIT_CONFIG="$1/config" git config core.worktree) ||
+	bare=$(cd "$1" && git config --bool core.bare)
+	worktree=$(cd "$1" && git config core.worktree) ||
 	worktree=unset
 
 	test "$bare" = "$2" && test "$worktree" = "$3" || {
@@ -24,18 +24,12 @@ check_config () {
 }
 
 test_expect_success 'plain' '
-	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE &&
-		mkdir plain &&
-		cd plain &&
-		git init
-	) &&
+	git init plain &&
 	check_config plain/.git false unset
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'plain nested in bare' '
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE &&
 		git init --bare bare-ancestor.git &&
 		cd bare-ancestor.git &&
 		mkdir plain-nested &&
@@ -47,7 +41,6 @@ test_expect_success 'plain nested in bare' '
 
 test_expect_success 'plain through aliased command, outside any git repo' '
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE &&
 		HOME=$(pwd)/alias-config &&
 		export HOME &&
 		mkdir alias-config &&
@@ -65,7 +58,6 @@ test_expect_success 'plain through aliased command, outside any git repo' '
 
 test_expect_failure 'plain nested through aliased command' '
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE &&
 		git init plain-ancestor-aliased &&
 		cd plain-ancestor-aliased &&
 		echo "[alias] aliasedinit = init" >>.git/config &&
@@ -78,7 +70,6 @@ test_expect_failure 'plain nested through aliased command' '
 
 test_expect_failure 'plain nested in bare through aliased command' '
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE &&
 		git init --bare bare-ancestor-aliased.git &&
 		cd bare-ancestor-aliased.git &&
 		echo "[alias] aliasedinit = init" >>config &&
@@ -90,66 +81,36 @@ test_expect_failure 'plain nested in bare through aliased command' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'plain with GIT_WORK_TREE' '
-	if (
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR &&
-		mkdir plain-wt &&
-		cd plain-wt &&
-		GIT_WORK_TREE=$(pwd) git init
-	)
-	then
-		echo Should have failed -- GIT_WORK_TREE should not be used
-		false
-	fi
+	mkdir plain-wt &&
+	test_must_fail env GIT_WORK_TREE="$(pwd)/plain-wt" git init plain-wt
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'plain bare' '
-	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE GIT_CONFIG &&
-		mkdir plain-bare-1 &&
-		cd plain-bare-1 &&
-		git --bare init
-	) &&
+	git --bare init plain-bare-1 &&
 	check_config plain-bare-1 true unset
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'plain bare with GIT_WORK_TREE' '
-	if (
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_CONFIG &&
-		mkdir plain-bare-2 &&
-		cd plain-bare-2 &&
-		GIT_WORK_TREE=$(pwd) git --bare init
-	)
-	then
-		echo Should have failed -- GIT_WORK_TREE should not be used
-		false
-	fi
+	mkdir plain-bare-2 &&
+	test_must_fail \
+		env GIT_WORK_TREE="$(pwd)/plain-bare-2" \
+		git --bare init plain-bare-2
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR bare' '
-
-	(
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG &&
-		mkdir git-dir-bare.git &&
-		GIT_DIR=git-dir-bare.git git init
-	) &&
+	mkdir git-dir-bare.git &&
+	GIT_DIR=git-dir-bare.git git init &&
 	check_config git-dir-bare.git true unset
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init --bare' '
-
-	(
-		sane_unset GIT_DIR GIT_WORK_TREE GIT_CONFIG &&
-		mkdir init-bare.git &&
-		cd init-bare.git &&
-		git init --bare
-	) &&
+	git init --bare init-bare.git &&
 	check_config init-bare.git true unset
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR non-bare' '
 
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG &&
 		mkdir non-bare &&
 		cd non-bare &&
 		GIT_DIR=.git git init
@@ -160,7 +121,6 @@ test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR non-bare' '
 test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR & GIT_WORK_TREE (1)' '
 
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG &&
 		mkdir git-dir-wt-1.git &&
 		GIT_WORK_TREE=$(pwd) GIT_DIR=git-dir-wt-1.git git init
 	) &&
@@ -168,23 +128,16 @@ test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR & GIT_WORK_TREE (1)' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'GIT_DIR & GIT_WORK_TREE (2)' '
-
-	if (
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG &&
-		mkdir git-dir-wt-2.git &&
-		GIT_WORK_TREE=$(pwd) GIT_DIR=git-dir-wt-2.git git --bare init
-	)
-	then
-		echo Should have failed -- --bare should not be used
-		false
-	fi
+	mkdir git-dir-wt-2.git &&
+	test_must_fail env \
+		GIT_WORK_TREE="$(pwd)" \
+		GIT_DIR=git-dir-wt-2.git \
+		git --bare init
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'reinit' '
 
 	(
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG GIT_WORK_TREE GIT_CONFIG &&
-
 		mkdir again &&
 		cd again &&
 		git init >out1 2>err1 &&
@@ -200,35 +153,22 @@ test_expect_success 'reinit' '
 test_expect_success 'init with --template' '
 	mkdir template-source &&
 	echo content >template-source/file &&
-	(
-		mkdir template-custom &&
-		cd template-custom &&
-		git init --template=../template-source
-	) &&
+	git init --template=../template-source template-custom &&
 	test_cmp template-source/file template-custom/.git/file
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init with --template (blank)' '
-	(
-		mkdir template-plain &&
-		cd template-plain &&
-		git init
-	) &&
-	test -f template-plain/.git/info/exclude &&
-	(
-		mkdir template-blank &&
-		cd template-blank &&
-		git init --template=
-	) &&
-	! test -f template-blank/.git/info/exclude
+	git init template-plain &&
+	test_path_is_file template-plain/.git/info/exclude &&
+	git init --template= template-blank &&
+	test_path_is_missing template-blank/.git/info/exclude
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init with init.templatedir set' '
 	mkdir templatedir-source &&
 	echo Content >templatedir-source/file &&
+	test_config_global init.templatedir "${HOME}/templatedir-source" &&
 	(
-		test_config="${HOME}/.gitconfig" &&
-		git config -f "$test_config"  init.templatedir "${HOME}/templatedir-source" &&
 		mkdir templatedir-set &&
 		cd templatedir-set &&
 		sane_unset GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR &&
@@ -240,78 +180,55 @@ test_expect_success 'init with init.templatedir set' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init --bare/--shared overrides system/global config' '
-	(
-		test_config="$HOME"/.gitconfig &&
-		git config -f "$test_config" core.bare false &&
-		git config -f "$test_config" core.sharedRepository 0640 &&
-		mkdir init-bare-shared-override &&
-		cd init-bare-shared-override &&
-		git init --bare --shared=0666
-	) &&
+	test_config_global core.bare false &&
+	test_config_global core.sharedRepository 0640 &&
+	git init --bare --shared=0666 init-bare-shared-override &&
 	check_config init-bare-shared-override true unset &&
 	test x0666 = \
 	x`git config -f init-bare-shared-override/config core.sharedRepository`
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init honors global core.sharedRepository' '
-	(
-		test_config="$HOME"/.gitconfig &&
-		git config -f "$test_config" core.sharedRepository 0666 &&
-		mkdir shared-honor-global &&
-		cd shared-honor-global &&
-		git init
-	) &&
+	test_config_global core.sharedRepository 0666 &&
+	git init shared-honor-global &&
 	test x0666 = \
 	x`git config -f shared-honor-global/.git/config core.sharedRepository`
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init rejects insanely long --template' '
-	(
-		insane=$(printf "x%09999dx" 1) &&
-		mkdir test &&
-		cd test &&
-		test_must_fail git init --template=$insane
-	)
+	test_must_fail git init --template=$(printf "x%09999dx" 1) test
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init creates a new directory' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		git init newdir &&
-		test -d newdir/.git/refs
-	)
+	git init newdir &&
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/.git/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init creates a new bare directory' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		git init --bare newdir &&
-		test -d newdir/refs
-	)
+	git init --bare newdir &&
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init recreates a directory' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		mkdir newdir &&
-		git init newdir &&
-		test -d newdir/.git/refs
-	)
+	mkdir newdir &&
+	git init newdir &&
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/.git/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init recreates a new bare directory' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		mkdir newdir &&
-		git init --bare newdir &&
-		test -d newdir/refs
-	)
+	mkdir newdir &&
+	git init --bare newdir &&
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init creates a new deep directory' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
 	git init newdir/a/b/c &&
-	test -d newdir/a/b/c/.git/refs
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/a/b/c/.git/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success POSIXPERM 'init creates a new deep directory (umask vs. shared)' '
@@ -321,7 +238,7 @@ test_expect_success POSIXPERM 'init creates a new deep directory (umask vs. shar
 		# the repository itself should follow "shared"
 		umask 002 &&
 		git init --bare --shared=0660 newdir/a/b/c &&
-		test -d newdir/a/b/c/refs &&
+		test_path_is_dir newdir/a/b/c/refs &&
 		ls -ld newdir/a newdir/a/b > lsab.out &&
 		! grep -v "^drwxrw[sx]r-x" lsab.out &&
 		ls -ld newdir/a/b/c > lsc.out &&
@@ -331,44 +248,38 @@ test_expect_success POSIXPERM 'init creates a new deep directory (umask vs. shar
 
 test_expect_success 'init notices EEXIST (1)' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		>newdir &&
-		test_must_fail git init newdir &&
-		test -f newdir
-	)
+	>newdir &&
+	test_must_fail git init newdir &&
+	test_path_is_file newdir
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init notices EEXIST (2)' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		mkdir newdir &&
-		>newdir/a
-		test_must_fail git init newdir/a/b &&
-		test -f newdir/a
-	)
+	mkdir newdir &&
+	>newdir/a &&
+	test_must_fail git init newdir/a/b &&
+	test_path_is_file newdir/a
 '
 
 test_expect_success POSIXPERM,SANITY 'init notices EPERM' '
 	rm -fr newdir &&
-	(
-		mkdir newdir &&
-		chmod -w newdir &&
-		test_must_fail git init newdir/a/b
-	)
+	mkdir newdir &&
+	chmod -w newdir &&
+	test_must_fail git init newdir/a/b
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init creates a new bare directory with global --bare' '
 	rm -rf newdir &&
 	git --bare init newdir &&
-	test -d newdir/refs
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init prefers command line to GIT_DIR' '
 	rm -rf newdir &&
 	mkdir otherdir &&
 	GIT_DIR=otherdir git --bare init newdir &&
-	test -d newdir/refs &&
-	! test -d otherdir/refs
+	test_path_is_dir newdir/refs &&
+	test_path_is_missing otherdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'init with separate gitdir' '
@@ -376,7 +287,7 @@ test_expect_success 'init with separate gitdir' '
 	git init --separate-git-dir realgitdir newdir &&
 	echo "gitdir: `pwd`/realgitdir" >expected &&
 	test_cmp expected newdir/.git &&
-	test -d realgitdir/refs
+	test_path_is_dir realgitdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 're-init on .git file' '
@@ -390,8 +301,8 @@ test_expect_success 're-init to update git link' '
 	) &&
 	echo "gitdir: `pwd`/surrealgitdir" >expected &&
 	test_cmp expected newdir/.git &&
-	test -d surrealgitdir/refs &&
-	! test -d realgitdir/refs
+	test_path_is_dir surrealgitdir/refs &&
+	test_path_is_missing realgitdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success 're-init to move gitdir' '
@@ -403,7 +314,7 @@ test_expect_success 're-init to move gitdir' '
 	) &&
 	echo "gitdir: `pwd`/realgitdir" >expected &&
 	test_cmp expected newdir/.git &&
-	test -d realgitdir/refs
+	test_path_is_dir realgitdir/refs
 '
 
 test_expect_success SYMLINKS 're-init to move gitdir symlink' '
@@ -417,8 +328,8 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 're-init to move gitdir symlink' '
 	) &&
 	echo "gitdir: `pwd`/realgitdir" >expected &&
 	test_cmp expected newdir/.git &&
-	test -d realgitdir/refs &&
-	! test -d newdir/here
+	test_cmp expected newdir/here &&
+	test_path_is_dir realgitdir/refs
 '
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t1300-repo-config.sh b/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
index 3e3f77b59b..58cd5435be 100755
--- a/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
+++ b/t/t1300-repo-config.sh
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ test_expect_success 'new variable inserts into proper section' '
 	test_cmp expect .git/config
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'alternative GIT_CONFIG (non-existing file should fail)' '
+test_expect_success 'alternative --file (non-existing file should fail)' '
 	test_must_fail git config --file non-existing-config -l
 '
 
@@ -508,10 +508,10 @@ test_expect_success 'refer config from subdirectory' '
 
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'refer config from subdirectory via GIT_CONFIG' '
+test_expect_success 'refer config from subdirectory via --file' '
 	(
 		cd x &&
-		GIT_CONFIG=../other-config git config --get ein.bahn >actual &&
+		git config --file=../other-config --get ein.bahn >actual &&
 		test_cmp expect actual
 	)
 '
@@ -523,8 +523,8 @@ cat > expect << EOF
 	park = ausweis
 EOF
 
-test_expect_success '--set in alternative GIT_CONFIG' '
-	GIT_CONFIG=other-config git config anwohner.park ausweis &&
+test_expect_success '--set in alternative file' '
+	git config --file=other-config anwohner.park ausweis &&
 	test_cmp expect other-config
 '
 
@@ -955,11 +955,11 @@ test_expect_success 'inner whitespace kept verbatim' '
 
 test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinked configuration' '
 	ln -s notyet myconfig &&
-	GIT_CONFIG=myconfig git config test.frotz nitfol &&
+	git config --file=myconfig test.frotz nitfol &&
 	test -h myconfig &&
 	test -f notyet &&
-	test "z$(GIT_CONFIG=notyet git config test.frotz)" = znitfol &&
-	GIT_CONFIG=myconfig git config test.xyzzy rezrov &&
+	test "z$(git config --file=notyet test.frotz)" = znitfol &&
+	git config --file=myconfig test.xyzzy rezrov &&
 	test -h myconfig &&
 	test -f notyet &&
 	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
@@ -967,22 +967,22 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinked configuration' '
 	rezrov
 	EOF
 	{
-		GIT_CONFIG=notyet git config test.frotz &&
-		GIT_CONFIG=notyet git config test.xyzzy
+		git config --file=notyet test.frotz &&
+		git config --file=notyet test.xyzzy
 	} >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'nonexistent configuration' '
-	test_must_fail env GIT_CONFIG=doesnotexist git config --list &&
-	test_must_fail env GIT_CONFIG=doesnotexist git config test.xyzzy
+	test_must_fail git config --file=doesnotexist --list &&
+	test_must_fail git config --file=doesnotexist test.xyzzy
 '
 
 test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlink to nonexistent configuration' '
 	ln -s doesnotexist linktonada &&
 	ln -s linktonada linktolinktonada &&
-	test_must_fail env GIT_CONFIG=linktonada git config --list &&
-	test_must_fail env GIT_CONFIG=linktolinktonada git config --list
+	test_must_fail git config --file=linktonada --list &&
+	test_must_fail git config --file=linktolinktonada --list
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'check split_cmdline return' "
diff --git a/t/t1302-repo-version.sh b/t/t1302-repo-version.sh
index 0e47662406..0d9388afc4 100755
--- a/t/t1302-repo-version.sh
+++ b/t/t1302-repo-version.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 
 	test_create_repo "test" &&
 	test_create_repo "test2" &&
-	GIT_CONFIG=test2/.git/config git config core.repositoryformatversion 99
+	git config --file=test2/.git/config core.repositoryformatversion 99
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'gitdir selection on normal repos' '
diff --git a/t/t5701-clone-local.sh b/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
index c4903687fb..3c087e907c 100755
--- a/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
+++ b/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ test_expect_success 'preparing origin repository' '
 	: >file && git add . && git commit -m1 &&
 	git clone --bare . a.git &&
 	git clone --bare . x &&
-	test "$(GIT_CONFIG=a.git/config git config --bool core.bare)" = true &&
-	test "$(GIT_CONFIG=x/config git config --bool core.bare)" = true &&
+	test "$(cd a.git && git config --bool core.bare)" = true &&
+	test "$(cd x && git config --bool core.bare)" = true &&
 	git bundle create b1.bundle --all &&
 	git bundle create b2.bundle master &&
 	mkdir dir &&
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ test_expect_success 'preparing origin repository' '
 test_expect_success 'local clone without .git suffix' '
 	git clone -l -s a b &&
 	(cd b &&
-	test "$(GIT_CONFIG=.git/config git config --bool core.bare)" = false &&
+	test "$(git config --bool core.bare)" = false &&
 	git fetch)
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
index c28e8d8ada..7c88245031 100755
--- a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
@@ -249,8 +249,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add in subdirectory with relative path should fai
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'setup - add an example entry to .gitmodules' '
-	GIT_CONFIG=.gitmodules \
-	git config submodule.example.url git://example.com/init.git
+	git config --file=.gitmodules submodule.example.url git://example.com/init.git
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'status should fail for unmapped paths' '
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup - map path in .gitmodules' '
 	path = init
 EOF
 
-	GIT_CONFIG=.gitmodules git config submodule.example.path init &&
+	git config --file=.gitmodules submodule.example.path init &&
 
 	test_cmp expect .gitmodules
 '
diff --git a/t/t9130-git-svn-authors-file.sh b/t/t9130-git-svn-authors-file.sh
index c3443ceb25..c44de267a1 100755
--- a/t/t9130-git-svn-authors-file.sh
+++ b/t/t9130-git-svn-authors-file.sh
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch fails on ee' '
 	'
 
 tmp_config_get () {
-	GIT_CONFIG=.git/svn/.metadata git config --get "$1"
+	git config --file=.git/svn/.metadata --get "$1"
 }
 
 test_expect_success 'failure happened without negative side effects' '
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ test_expect_success 'fresh clone with svn.authors-file in config' '
 		test x = x"$(git config svn.authorsfile)" &&
 		test_config="$HOME"/.gitconfig &&
 		sane_unset GIT_DIR &&
-		sane_unset GIT_CONFIG &&
 		git config --global \
 		  svn.authorsfile "$HOME"/svn-authors &&
 		test x"$HOME"/svn-authors = x"$(git config svn.authorsfile)" &&
diff --git a/t/t9154-git-svn-fancy-glob.sh b/t/t9154-git-svn-fancy-glob.sh
index b780e0efe3..a0150f057d 100755
--- a/t/t9154-git-svn-fancy-glob.sh
+++ b/t/t9154-git-svn-fancy-glob.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ test_expect_success 'add red branch' "
 	"
 
 test_expect_success 'add gre branch' "
-	GIT_CONFIG=.git/svn/.metadata git config --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
+	git config --file=.git/svn/.metadata --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
 	git config svn-remote.svn.branches 'branches/{red,gre}:refs/remotes/*' &&
 	git svn fetch &&
 	git rev-parse refs/remotes/red &&
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test_expect_success 'add gre branch' "
 	"
 
 test_expect_success 'add green branch' "
-	GIT_CONFIG=.git/svn/.metadata git config --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
+	git config --file=.git/svn/.metadata --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
 	git config svn-remote.svn.branches 'branches/{red,green}:refs/remotes/*' &&
 	git svn fetch &&
 	git rev-parse refs/remotes/red &&
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test_expect_success 'add green branch' "
 	"
 
 test_expect_success 'add all branches' "
-	GIT_CONFIG=.git/svn/.metadata git config --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
+	git config --file=.git/svn/.metadata --unset svn-remote.svn.branches-maxRev &&
 	git config svn-remote.svn.branches 'branches/*:refs/remotes/*' &&
 	git svn fetch &&
 	git rev-parse refs/remotes/red &&
diff --git a/t/t9400-git-cvsserver-server.sh b/t/t9400-git-cvsserver-server.sh
index 3edc4086d8..ed98e64477 100755
--- a/t/t9400-git-cvsserver-server.sh
+++ b/t/t9400-git-cvsserver-server.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ perl -e 'use DBI; use DBD::SQLite' >/dev/null 2>&1 || {
     test_done
 }
 
-unset GIT_DIR GIT_CONFIG
 WORKDIR=$(pwd)
 SERVERDIR=$(pwd)/gitcvs.git
 git_config="$SERVERDIR/config"
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 87f327ff8b..c081668dfe 100644
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -655,7 +655,6 @@ else # normal case, use ../bin-wrappers only unless $with_dashes:
 	fi
 fi
 GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR="$GIT_BUILD_DIR"/templates/blt
-unset GIT_CONFIG
 GIT_CONFIG_NOSYSTEM=1
 GIT_ATTR_NOSYSTEM=1
 export PATH GIT_EXEC_PATH GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR GIT_CONFIG_NOSYSTEM GIT_ATTR_NOSYSTEM