diff --git a/contrib/credential/netrc/t-git-credential-netrc.sh b/contrib/credential/netrc/t-git-credential-netrc.sh
index ff17a9460c..bf2777308a 100755
--- a/contrib/credential/netrc/t-git-credential-netrc.sh
+++ b/contrib/credential/netrc/t-git-credential-netrc.sh
@@ -13,13 +13,10 @@
 		'set up test repository' \
 		'git config --add gpg.program test.git-config-gpg'
 
-	# The external test will outputs its own plan
-	test_external_has_tap=1
-
 	export PERL5LIB="$GITPERLLIB"
-	test_external \
-		'git-credential-netrc' \
+	test_expect_success 'git-credential-netrc' '
 		perl "$GIT_BUILD_DIR"/contrib/credential/netrc/test.pl
+	'
 
 	test_done
 )
diff --git a/t/README b/t/README
index 0664aee7ed..98f69ed13d 100644
--- a/t/README
+++ b/t/README
@@ -938,32 +938,6 @@ see test-lib-functions.sh for the full list and their options.
 	    test_done
 	fi
 
- - test_external [<prereq>] <message> <external> <script>
-
-   Execute a <script> with an <external> interpreter (like perl). This
-   was added for tests like t9700-perl-git.sh which do most of their
-   work in an external test script.
-
-	test_external \
-	    'GitwebCache::*FileCache*' \
-	    perl "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t9503/test_cache_interface.pl
-
-   If the test is outputting its own TAP you should set the
-   test_external_has_tap variable somewhere before calling the first
-   test_external* function. See t9700-perl-git.sh for an example.
-
-	# The external test will outputs its own plan
-	test_external_has_tap=1
-
- - test_external_without_stderr [<prereq>] <message> <external> <script>
-
-   Like test_external but fail if there's any output on stderr,
-   instead of checking the exit code.
-
-	test_external_without_stderr \
-	    'Perl API' \
-	    perl "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t9700/test.pl
-
  - test_expect_code <exit-code> <command>
 
    Run a command and ensure that it exits with the given exit code.
diff --git a/t/t0202-gettext-perl.sh b/t/t0202-gettext-perl.sh
index 043b190626..5a6f28051b 100755
--- a/t/t0202-gettext-perl.sh
+++ b/t/t0202-gettext-perl.sh
@@ -10,11 +10,9 @@ TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-perl.sh
 skip_all_if_no_Test_More
 
-# The external test will outputs its own plan
-test_external_has_tap=1
-
-test_external_without_stderr \
-    'Perl Git::I18N API' \
-    perl "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t0202/test.pl
+test_expect_success 'run t0202/test.pl to test Git::I18N.pm' '
+	"$PERL_PATH" "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t0202/test.pl 2>stderr &&
+	test_must_be_empty stderr
+'
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t9700-perl-git.sh b/t/t9700-perl-git.sh
index 17fc43f6e5..a48fac6f07 100755
--- a/t/t9700-perl-git.sh
+++ b/t/t9700-perl-git.sh
@@ -43,11 +43,9 @@ test_expect_success \
      git config --add test.pathmulti bar
      '
 
-# The external test will outputs its own plan
-test_external_has_tap=1
-
-test_external_without_stderr \
-    'Perl API' \
-    perl "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t9700/test.pl
+test_expect_success 'use t9700/test.pl to test Git.pm' '
+	"$PERL_PATH" "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/t9700/test.pl 2>stderr &&
+	test_must_be_empty stderr
+'
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/test-lib-functions.sh b/t/test-lib-functions.sh
index 6da7273f1d..869595d4ce 100644
--- a/t/test-lib-functions.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib-functions.sh
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ test_hook () {
 # - Explicitly using test_have_prereq.
 #
 # - Implicitly by specifying the prerequisite tag in the calls to
-#   test_expect_{success,failure} and test_external{,_without_stderr}.
+#   test_expect_{success,failure}
 #
 # The single parameter is the prerequisite tag (a simple word, in all
 # capital letters by convention).
@@ -836,93 +836,6 @@ test_expect_success () {
 	test_finish_
 }
 
-# test_external runs external test scripts that provide continuous
-# test output about their progress, and succeeds/fails on
-# zero/non-zero exit code.  It outputs the test output on stdout even
-# in non-verbose mode, and announces the external script with "# run
-# <n>: ..." before running it.  When providing relative paths, keep in
-# mind that all scripts run in "trash directory".
-# Usage: test_external description command arguments...
-# Example: test_external 'Perl API' perl ../path/to/test.pl
-test_external () {
-	test "$#" = 4 && { test_prereq=$1; shift; } || test_prereq=
-	test "$#" = 3 ||
-	BUG "not 3 or 4 parameters to test_external"
-	descr="$1"
-	shift
-	test_verify_prereq
-	export test_prereq
-	if ! test_skip "$descr" "$@"
-	then
-		# Announce the script to reduce confusion about the
-		# test output that follows.
-		say_color "" "# run $test_count: $descr ($*)"
-		# Export TEST_DIRECTORY, TRASH_DIRECTORY and GIT_TEST_LONG
-		# to be able to use them in script
-		export TEST_DIRECTORY TRASH_DIRECTORY GIT_TEST_LONG
-		# Run command; redirect its stderr to &4 as in
-		# test_run_, but keep its stdout on our stdout even in
-		# non-verbose mode.
-		"$@" 2>&4
-		if test "$?" = 0
-		then
-			if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0; then
-				test_ok_ "$descr"
-			else
-				say_color "" "# test_external test $descr was ok"
-				test_success=$(($test_success + 1))
-			fi
-		else
-			if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0; then
-				test_failure_ "$descr" "$@"
-			else
-				say_color error "# test_external test $descr failed: $@"
-				test_failure=$(($test_failure + 1))
-			fi
-		fi
-	fi
-}
-
-# Like test_external, but in addition tests that the command generated
-# no output on stderr.
-test_external_without_stderr () {
-	# The temporary file has no (and must have no) security
-	# implications.
-	tmp=${TMPDIR:-/tmp}
-	stderr="$tmp/git-external-stderr.$$.tmp"
-	test_external "$@" 4> "$stderr"
-	test -f "$stderr" || error "Internal error: $stderr disappeared."
-	descr="no stderr: $1"
-	shift
-	say >&3 "# expecting no stderr from previous command"
-	if test ! -s "$stderr"
-	then
-		rm "$stderr"
-
-		if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0; then
-			test_ok_ "$descr"
-		else
-			say_color "" "# test_external_without_stderr test $descr was ok"
-			test_success=$(($test_success + 1))
-		fi
-	else
-		if test "$verbose" = t
-		then
-			output=$(echo; echo "# Stderr is:"; cat "$stderr")
-		else
-			output=
-		fi
-		# rm first in case test_failure exits.
-		rm "$stderr"
-		if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0; then
-			test_failure_ "$descr" "$@" "$output"
-		else
-			say_color error "# test_external_without_stderr test $descr failed: $@: $output"
-			test_failure=$(($test_failure + 1))
-		fi
-	fi
-}
-
 # debugging-friendly alternatives to "test [-f|-d|-e]"
 # The commands test the existence or non-existence of $1
 test_path_is_file () {
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 557f77c971..067927eb06 100644
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -1231,27 +1231,24 @@ test_done () {
 	fi
 	case "$test_failure" in
 	0)
-		if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0
+		if test $test_remaining -gt 0
 		then
-			if test $test_remaining -gt 0
-			then
-				say_color pass "# passed all $msg"
-			fi
-
-			# Maybe print SKIP message
-			test -z "$skip_all" || skip_all="# SKIP $skip_all"
-			case "$test_count" in
-			0)
-				say "1..$test_count${skip_all:+ $skip_all}"
-				;;
-			*)
-				test -z "$skip_all" ||
-				say_color warn "$skip_all"
-				say "1..$test_count"
-				;;
-			esac
+			say_color pass "# passed all $msg"
 		fi
 
+		# Maybe print SKIP message
+		test -z "$skip_all" || skip_all="# SKIP $skip_all"
+		case "$test_count" in
+		0)
+			say "1..$test_count${skip_all:+ $skip_all}"
+			;;
+		*)
+			test -z "$skip_all" ||
+			say_color warn "$skip_all"
+			say "1..$test_count"
+			;;
+		esac
+
 		if test -n "$stress" && test -n "$invert_exit_code"
 		then
 			# We're about to move our "$TRASH_DIRECTORY"
@@ -1286,11 +1283,8 @@ test_done () {
 		exit 0 ;;
 
 	*)
-		if test $test_external_has_tap -eq 0
-		then
-			say_color error "# failed $test_failure among $msg"
-			say "1..$test_count"
-		fi
+		say_color error "# failed $test_failure among $msg"
+		say "1..$test_count"
 
 		if test -n "$invert_exit_code"
 		then