diff --git a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
index 9fab25cc96..9dc91d09d7 100755
--- a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
@@ -4,18 +4,24 @@ test_description='add -i basic tests'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 . "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-prereq-FILEMODE.sh
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup (initial)' '
+if ! test_have_prereq PERL
+then
+	skip_all='skipping add -i tests, perl not available'
+	test_done
+fi
+
+test_expect_success 'setup (initial)' '
 	echo content >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	echo more >>file &&
 	echo lines >>file
 '
-test_expect_success PERL 'status works (initial)' '
+test_expect_success 'status works (initial)' '
 	git add -i </dev/null >output &&
 	grep "+1/-0 *+2/-0 file" output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 new file mode 100644
 index 0000000..d95f3ad
@@ -26,19 +32,19 @@ index 0000000..d95f3ad
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'diff works (initial)' '
+test_expect_success 'diff works (initial)' '
 	(echo d; echo 1) | git add -i >output &&
 	sed -ne "/new file/,/content/p" <output >diff &&
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
-test_expect_success PERL 'revert works (initial)' '
+test_expect_success 'revert works (initial)' '
 	git add file &&
 	(echo r; echo 1) | git add -i &&
 	git ls-files >output &&
 	! grep . output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup (commit)' '
+test_expect_success 'setup (commit)' '
 	echo baseline >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit -m commit &&
@@ -47,12 +53,12 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'setup (commit)' '
 	echo more >>file &&
 	echo lines >>file
 '
-test_expect_success PERL 'status works (commit)' '
+test_expect_success 'status works (commit)' '
 	git add -i </dev/null >output &&
 	grep "+1/-0 *+2/-0 file" output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 index 180b47c..b6f2c08 100644
 --- a/file
@@ -63,12 +69,12 @@ index 180b47c..b6f2c08 100644
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'diff works (commit)' '
+test_expect_success 'diff works (commit)' '
 	(echo d; echo 1) | git add -i >output &&
 	sed -ne "/^index/,/content/p" <output >diff &&
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
-test_expect_success PERL 'revert works (commit)' '
+test_expect_success 'revert works (commit)' '
 	git add file &&
 	(echo r; echo 1) | git add -i &&
 	git add -i </dev/null >output &&
@@ -76,24 +82,24 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'revert works (commit)' '
 '
 
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup fake editor' '
+test_expect_success 'setup fake editor' '
 	>fake_editor.sh &&
 	chmod a+x fake_editor.sh &&
 	test_set_editor "$(pwd)/fake_editor.sh"
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'dummy edit works' '
+test_expect_success 'dummy edit works' '
 	(echo e; echo a) | git add -p &&
 	git diff > diff &&
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup patch' '
+test_expect_success 'setup patch' '
 cat >patch <<EOF
 @@ -1,1 +1,4 @@
  this
@@ -103,7 +109,7 @@ cat >patch <<EOF
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup fake editor' '
+test_expect_success 'setup fake editor' '
 	echo "#!$SHELL_PATH" >fake_editor.sh &&
 	cat >>fake_editor.sh <<\EOF &&
 mv -f "$1" oldpatch &&
@@ -113,26 +119,26 @@ EOF
 	test_set_editor "$(pwd)/fake_editor.sh"
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'bad edit rejected' '
+test_expect_success 'bad edit rejected' '
 	git reset &&
 	(echo e; echo n; echo d) | git add -p >output &&
 	grep "hunk does not apply" output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup patch' '
+test_expect_success 'setup patch' '
 cat >patch <<EOF
 this patch
 is garbage
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'garbage edit rejected' '
+test_expect_success 'garbage edit rejected' '
 	git reset &&
 	(echo e; echo n; echo d) | git add -p >output &&
 	grep "hunk does not apply" output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup patch' '
+test_expect_success 'setup patch' '
 cat >patch <<EOF
 @@ -1,0 +1,0 @@
  baseline
@@ -142,7 +148,7 @@ cat >patch <<EOF
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 diff --git a/file b/file
 index b5dd6c9..f910ae9 100644
@@ -157,13 +163,13 @@ index b5dd6c9..f910ae9 100644
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'real edit works' '
+test_expect_success 'real edit works' '
 	(echo e; echo n; echo d) | git add -p &&
 	git diff >output &&
 	test_cmp expected output
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'skip files similarly as commit -a' '
+test_expect_success 'skip files similarly as commit -a' '
 	git reset &&
 	echo file >.gitignore &&
 	echo changed >file &&
@@ -177,7 +183,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'skip files similarly as commit -a' '
 '
 rm -f .gitignore
 
-test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'patch does not affect mode' '
+test_expect_success FILEMODE 'patch does not affect mode' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	echo content >>file &&
 	chmod +x file &&
@@ -186,7 +192,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'patch does not affect mode' '
 	git diff file | grep "new mode"
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'stage mode but not hunk' '
+test_expect_success FILEMODE 'stage mode but not hunk' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	echo content >>file &&
 	chmod +x file &&
@@ -196,7 +202,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'stage mode but not hunk' '
 '
 
 
-test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'stage mode and hunk' '
+test_expect_success FILEMODE 'stage mode and hunk' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	echo content >>file &&
 	chmod +x file &&
@@ -208,14 +214,14 @@ test_expect_success PERL,FILEMODE 'stage mode and hunk' '
 
 # end of tests disabled when filemode is not usable
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup again' '
+test_expect_success 'setup again' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	test_chmod +x file &&
 	echo content >>file
 '
 
 # Write the patch file with a new line at the top and bottom
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup patch' '
+test_expect_success 'setup patch' '
 cat >patch <<EOF
 index 180b47c..b6f2c08 100644
 --- a/file
@@ -229,7 +235,7 @@ EOF
 '
 
 # Expected output, similar to the patch but w/ diff at the top
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 diff --git a/file b/file
 index b6f2c08..61b9053 100755
@@ -244,7 +250,7 @@ EOF
 '
 
 # Test splitting the first patch, then adding both
-test_expect_success PERL 'add first line works' '
+test_expect_success 'add first line works' '
 	git commit -am "clear local changes" &&
 	git apply patch &&
 	(echo s; echo y; echo y) | git add -p file &&
@@ -252,7 +258,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'add first line works' '
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 diff --git a/non-empty b/non-empty
 deleted file mode 100644
@@ -264,7 +270,7 @@ index d95f3ad..0000000
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'deleting a non-empty file' '
+test_expect_success 'deleting a non-empty file' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	echo content >non-empty &&
 	git add non-empty &&
@@ -275,7 +281,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'deleting a non-empty file' '
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'setup expected' '
+test_expect_success 'setup expected' '
 cat >expected <<EOF
 diff --git a/empty b/empty
 deleted file mode 100644
@@ -283,7 +289,7 @@ index e69de29..0000000
 EOF
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'deleting an empty file' '
+test_expect_success 'deleting an empty file' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	> empty &&
 	git add empty &&
@@ -294,7 +300,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'deleting an empty file' '
 	test_cmp expected diff
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'split hunk setup' '
+test_expect_success 'split hunk setup' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	for i in 10 20 30 40 50 60
 	do
@@ -310,7 +316,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'split hunk setup' '
 	done >test
 '
 
-test_expect_success PERL 'split hunk "add -p (edit)"' '
+test_expect_success 'split hunk "add -p (edit)"' '
 	# Split, say Edit and do nothing.  Then:
 	#
 	# 1. Broken version results in a patch that does not apply and
diff --git a/t/t7106-reset-unborn-branch.sh b/t/t7106-reset-unborn-branch.sh
index 8062cf502b..af00ab4d88 100755
--- a/t/t7106-reset-unborn-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t7106-reset-unborn-branch.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 test_expect_success 'reset' '
 	git add a b &&
 	git reset &&
-	test "$(git ls-files)" = ""
+
+	>expect &&
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'reset HEAD' '
@@ -24,28 +27,42 @@ test_expect_success 'reset $file' '
 	rm .git/index &&
 	git add a b &&
 	git reset a &&
-	test "$(git ls-files)" = "b"
+
+	echo b >expect &&
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'reset -p' '
+test_expect_success PERL 'reset -p' '
 	rm .git/index &&
 	git add a &&
-	echo y | git reset -p &&
-	test "$(git ls-files)" = ""
+	echo y >yes &&
+	git reset -p <yes &&
+
+	>expect &&
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'reset --soft is a no-op' '
 	rm .git/index &&
 	git add a &&
-	git reset --soft
-	test "$(git ls-files)" = "a"
+	git reset --soft &&
+
+	echo a >expect &&
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'reset --hard' '
 	rm .git/index &&
 	git add a &&
+	test_when_finished "echo a >a" &&
 	git reset --hard &&
-	test "$(git ls-files)" = "" &&
+
+	>expect &&
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	test_path_is_missing a
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t7501-commit.sh b/t/t7501-commit.sh
index 99ce36f5ef..f04798f872 100755
--- a/t/t7501-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7501-commit.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'can use paths with --interactive' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'using invalid commit with -C' '
-	test_must_fail git commit -C bogus
+	test_must_fail git commit --allow-empty -C bogus
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'nothing to commit' '