diff --git a/t/t5411/common-functions.sh b/t/t5411/common-functions.sh
index 521a347710..344d13f61a 100644
--- a/t/t5411/common-functions.sh
+++ b/t/t5411/common-functions.sh
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ create_commits_in () {
 make_user_friendly_and_stable_output () {
 	sed \
 		-e "s/  *\$//" \
-		-e "s/   */ /g" \
+		-e "s/  */ /g" \
 		-e "s/'/\"/g" \
 		-e "s/	/    /g" \
 		-e "s/$A/<COMMIT-A>/g" \
@@ -54,3 +54,8 @@ make_user_friendly_and_stable_output () {
 		-e "s#To $URL_PREFIX/upstream.git#To <URL/of/upstream.git>#" \
 		-e "/^error: / d"
 }
+
+filter_out_user_friendly_and_stable_output () {
+	make_user_friendly_and_stable_output |
+		sed -n ${1+"$@"}
+}
diff --git a/t/t5411/test-0000-standard-git-push.sh b/t/t5411/test-0000-standard-git-push.sh
index 2b04b49367..47b058af7e 100644
--- a/t/t5411/test-0000-standard-git-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5411/test-0000-standard-git-push.sh
@@ -36,11 +36,10 @@ test_expect_success "git-push --atomic ($PROTOCOL)" '
 		main \
 		$B:refs/heads/next \
 		>out 2>&1 &&
-	make_user_friendly_and_stable_output <out |
-		sed -n \
-			-e "/^To / { s/   */ /g; p; }" \
-			-e "/^ ! / { s/   */ /g; p; }" \
-			>actual &&
+	filter_out_user_friendly_and_stable_output \
+		-e "/^To / { p; }" \
+		-e "/^ ! / { p; }" \
+		<out >actual &&
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
 	To <URL/of/upstream.git>
 	 ! [rejected] main -> main (non-fast-forward)
diff --git a/t/t5411/test-0001-standard-git-push--porcelain.sh b/t/t5411/test-0001-standard-git-push--porcelain.sh
index 747307f8da..bbead12bbb 100644
--- a/t/t5411/test-0001-standard-git-push--porcelain.sh
+++ b/t/t5411/test-0001-standard-git-push--porcelain.sh
@@ -37,16 +37,15 @@ test_expect_success "git-push --atomic ($PROTOCOL/porcelain)" '
 		main \
 		$B:refs/heads/next \
 		>out 2>&1 &&
-	make_user_friendly_and_stable_output <out |
-		sed -n \
-			-e "s/^# GETTEXT POISON #//" \
-			-e "/^To / { s/   */ /g; p; }" \
-			-e "/^! / { s/   */ /g; p; }" \
-			>actual &&
+	filter_out_user_friendly_and_stable_output \
+		-e "s/^# GETTEXT POISON #//" \
+		-e "/^To / { p; }" \
+		-e "/^! / { p; }" \
+		<out >actual &&
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
 	To <URL/of/upstream.git>
-	! refs/heads/main:refs/heads/main [rejected] (non-fast-forward)
-	! <COMMIT-B>:refs/heads/next [rejected] (atomic push failed)
+	!    refs/heads/main:refs/heads/main    [rejected] (non-fast-forward)
+	!    <COMMIT-B>:refs/heads/next    [rejected] (atomic push failed)
 	EOF
 	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	git -C "$upstream" show-ref >out &&