diff --git a/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh b/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
index 88338c4e09..1424fabd4a 100755
--- a/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
+++ b/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ get_actual_commits () {
 		p
 		}' <out | test-tool pkt-line unpack-sideband >o.pack &&
 	git index-pack o.pack &&
-	git verify-pack -v o.idx | grep commit | cut -c-40 | sort >actual_commits
+	git verify-pack -v o.idx >objs &&
+	grep commit objs | cut -c-40 | sort >actual_commits
 }
 
 check_output () {
 	get_actual_refs &&
 	test_cmp expected_refs actual_refs &&
 	get_actual_commits &&
-	test_cmp expected_commits actual_commits
+	sort expected_commits >sorted_commits &&
+	test_cmp sorted_commits actual_commits
 }
 
 # c(o/foo) d(o/bar)
@@ -75,17 +77,19 @@ test_expect_success 'invalid want-ref line' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'basic want-ref' '
+	oid=$(git rev-parse f) &&
 	cat >expected_refs <<-EOF &&
-	$(git rev-parse f) refs/heads/master
+	$oid refs/heads/master
 	EOF
-	git rev-parse f | sort >expected_commits &&
+	git rev-parse f >expected_commits &&
 
+	oid=$(git rev-parse a) &&
 	test-tool pkt-line pack >in <<-EOF &&
 	command=fetch
 	0001
 	no-progress
 	want-ref refs/heads/master
-	have $(git rev-parse a)
+	have $oid
 	done
 	0000
 	EOF
@@ -95,19 +99,22 @@ test_expect_success 'basic want-ref' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'multiple want-ref lines' '
+	oid_c=$(git rev-parse c) &&
+	oid_d=$(git rev-parse d) &&
 	cat >expected_refs <<-EOF &&
-	$(git rev-parse c) refs/heads/o/foo
-	$(git rev-parse d) refs/heads/o/bar
+	$oid_c refs/heads/o/foo
+	$oid_d refs/heads/o/bar
 	EOF
-	git rev-parse c d | sort >expected_commits &&
+	git rev-parse c d >expected_commits &&
 
+	oid=$(git rev-parse b) &&
 	test-tool pkt-line pack >in <<-EOF &&
 	command=fetch
 	0001
 	no-progress
 	want-ref refs/heads/o/foo
 	want-ref refs/heads/o/bar
-	have $(git rev-parse b)
+	have $oid
 	done
 	0000
 	EOF
@@ -117,10 +124,11 @@ test_expect_success 'multiple want-ref lines' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'mix want and want-ref' '
+	oid=$(git rev-parse f) &&
 	cat >expected_refs <<-EOF &&
-	$(git rev-parse f) refs/heads/master
+	$oid refs/heads/master
 	EOF
-	git rev-parse e f | sort >expected_commits &&
+	git rev-parse e f >expected_commits &&
 
 	test-tool pkt-line pack >in <<-EOF &&
 	command=fetch
@@ -138,17 +146,19 @@ test_expect_success 'mix want and want-ref' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'want-ref with ref we already have commit for' '
+	oid=$(git rev-parse c) &&
 	cat >expected_refs <<-EOF &&
-	$(git rev-parse c) refs/heads/o/foo
+	$oid refs/heads/o/foo
 	EOF
 	>expected_commits &&
 
+	oid=$(git rev-parse c) &&
 	test-tool pkt-line pack >in <<-EOF &&
 	command=fetch
 	0001
 	no-progress
 	want-ref refs/heads/o/foo
-	have $(git rev-parse c)
+	have $oid
 	done
 	0000
 	EOF
@@ -211,13 +221,14 @@ test_expect_success 'fetching with exact OID' '
 
 	rm -rf local &&
 	cp -r "$LOCAL_PRISTINE" local &&
+	oid=$(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse d) &&
 	GIT_TRACE_PACKET="$(pwd)/log" git -C local fetch origin \
-		$(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse d):refs/heads/actual &&
+		"$oid":refs/heads/actual &&
 
 	git -C "$REPO" rev-parse "d" >expected &&
 	git -C local rev-parse refs/heads/actual >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual &&
-	grep "want $(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse d)" log
+	grep "want $oid" log
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'fetching multiple refs' '
@@ -239,13 +250,14 @@ test_expect_success 'fetching ref and exact OID' '
 
 	rm -rf local &&
 	cp -r "$LOCAL_PRISTINE" local &&
+	oid=$(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse b) &&
 	GIT_TRACE_PACKET="$(pwd)/log" git -C local fetch origin \
-		master $(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse b):refs/heads/actual &&
+		master "$oid":refs/heads/actual &&
 
 	git -C "$REPO" rev-parse "master" "b" >expected &&
 	git -C local rev-parse refs/remotes/origin/master refs/heads/actual >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual &&
-	grep "want $(git -C "$REPO" rev-parse b)" log &&
+	grep "want $oid" log &&
 	grep "want-ref refs/heads/master" log
 '