diff --git a/t/t3010-ls-files-killed-modified.sh b/t/t3010-ls-files-killed-modified.sh
index 62fce103f9..580e158f99 100755
--- a/t/t3010-ls-files-killed-modified.sh
+++ b/t/t3010-ls-files-killed-modified.sh
@@ -55,13 +55,10 @@ test_expect_success 'git update-index --add to add various paths.' '
 	: >path9 &&
 	date >path10 &&
 	git update-index --add -- path0 path?/file? pathx/ju path7 path8 path9 path10 &&
-	for i in 1 2
-	do
-		git init submod$i &&
-		(
-			cd submod$i && git commit --allow-empty -m "empty $i"
-		) || break
-	done &&
+	git init submod1 &&
+	git -C submod1 commit --allow-empty -m "empty 1" &&
+	git init submod2 &&
+	git -C submod2 commit --allow-empty -m "empty 2" &&
 	git update-index --add submod[12] &&
 	(
 		cd submod1 &&
diff --git a/t/t3031-merge-criscross.sh b/t/t3031-merge-criscross.sh
index 7f41607c56..e59b0a32d6 100755
--- a/t/t3031-merge-criscross.sh
+++ b/t/t3031-merge-criscross.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup repo with criss-cross history' '
 	do
 		echo $n > data/$n &&
 		n=$(($n+1)) ||
-		break
+		return 1
 	done &&
 
 	# check them in
diff --git a/t/t3202-show-branch-octopus.sh b/t/t3202-show-branch-octopus.sh
index 0a5d5e669f..6adf47869c 100755
--- a/t/t3202-show-branch-octopus.sh
+++ b/t/t3202-show-branch-octopus.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 		> file$i &&
 		git add file$i &&
 		test_tick &&
-		git commit -m branch$i || break
+		git commit -m branch$i || return 1
 	done
 
 '
diff --git a/t/t4024-diff-optimize-common.sh b/t/t4024-diff-optimize-common.sh
index c4d733f5db..7e76018296 100755
--- a/t/t4024-diff-optimize-common.sh
+++ b/t/t4024-diff-optimize-common.sh
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 		( printf C; zs $n ) >file-c$n &&
 		( echo D; zs $n ) >file-d$n &&
 
-		expect_pattern $n || break
+		expect_pattern $n || return 1
 
 	done >expect
 '
diff --git a/t/t4046-diff-unmerged.sh b/t/t4046-diff-unmerged.sh
index 25d50a654a..d0f14475ca 100755
--- a/t/t4046-diff-unmerged.sh
+++ b/t/t4046-diff-unmerged.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	do
 		blob=$(echo $i | git hash-object --stdin) &&
 		eval "blob$i=$blob" &&
-		eval "m$i=\"100644 \$blob$i $i\"" || break
+		eval "m$i=\"100644 \$blob$i $i\"" || return 1
 	done &&
 	paths= &&
 	for b in o x
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 				case "$b" in x) echo "$m1$p" ;; esac &&
 				case "$o" in x) echo "$m2$p" ;; esac &&
 				case "$t" in x) echo "$m3$p" ;; esac ||
-				break
-			done || break
-		done || break
+				return 1
+			done
+		done
 	done >ls-files-s.expect &&
 	git update-index --index-info <ls-files-s.expect &&
 	git ls-files -s >ls-files-s.actual &&
diff --git a/t/t4151-am-abort.sh b/t/t4151-am-abort.sh
index 1176bcccf3..8d90634ab8 100755
--- a/t/t4151-am-abort.sh
+++ b/t/t4151-am-abort.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 		echo $i >otherfile-$i &&
 		git add otherfile-$i &&
 		test_tick &&
-		git commit -a -m $i || break
+		git commit -a -m $i || return 1
 	done &&
 	git format-patch --no-numbered initial &&
 	git checkout -b side initial &&
diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index 17c6330f98..7a8499ce66 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update with arguments' '
 		cd one &&
 		for b in $(git branch -r)
 		do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 		done &&
 		git remote add manduca ../mirror &&
 		git remote add megaloprepus ../mirror &&
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update default' '
 		cd one &&
 		for b in $(git branch -r)
 		do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 		done &&
 		git config remote.drosophila.skipDefaultUpdate true &&
 		git remote update default &&
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update default (overridden, with funny whitespace)' '
 		cd one &&
 		for b in $(git branch -r)
 		do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 		done &&
 		git config remotes.default "$(printf "\t drosophila  \n")" &&
 		git remote update default &&
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update (with remotes.default defined)' '
 		cd one &&
 		for b in $(git branch -r)
 		do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 		done &&
 		git config remotes.default "drosophila" &&
 		git remote update &&
diff --git a/t/t5514-fetch-multiple.sh b/t/t5514-fetch-multiple.sh
index 0f8140957f..4b4b6673b8 100755
--- a/t/t5514-fetch-multiple.sh
+++ b/t/t5514-fetch-multiple.sh
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git fetch --all (skipFetchAll)' '
 	(cd test4 &&
 	 for b in $(git branch -r)
 	 do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 	 done &&
 	 git remote add three ../three &&
 	 git config remote.three.skipFetchAll true &&
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git fetch --multiple (ignoring skipFetchAll)' '
 	(cd test4 &&
 	 for b in $(git branch -r)
 	 do
-		git branch -r -d $b || break
+		git branch -r -d $b || exit 1
 	 done &&
 	 git fetch --multiple one two three &&
 	 git branch -r > output &&
diff --git a/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh b/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
index 5e439972be..3c21938a68 100755
--- a/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
+++ b/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 
 	for f in text binary union
 	do
-		echo Initial >$f && git add $f || break
+		echo Initial >$f && git add $f || return 1
 	done &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m Initial &&
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	git branch side &&
 	for f in text binary union
 	do
-		echo Master >>$f && git add $f || break
+		echo Master >>$f && git add $f || return 1
 	done &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m Master &&
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	git checkout side &&
 	for f in text binary union
 	do
-		echo Side >>$f && git add $f || break
+		echo Side >>$f && git add $f || return 1
 	done &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m Side &&
diff --git a/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh b/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
index 7ac8fd06c3..3d5c238c81 100755
--- a/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
+++ b/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
@@ -12,10 +12,9 @@ advance () {
 }
 
 test_expect_success setup '
-	for i in a b c;
-	do
-		advance $i || break
-	done &&
+	advance a &&
+	advance b &&
+	advance c &&
 	git clone . test &&
 	(
 		cd test &&