diff --git a/t/t3513-revert-submodule.sh b/t/t3513-revert-submodule.sh
index a759f12cbb..6e21278cfe 100755
--- a/t/t3513-revert-submodule.sh
+++ b/t/t3513-revert-submodule.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ test_description='revert can handle submodules'
 git_revert () {
 	git status -su >expect &&
 	ls -1pR * >>expect &&
-	tar cf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" * &&
+	"$TAR" cf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" * &&
 	may_only_be_test_must_fail "$2" &&
 	$2 git checkout "$1" &&
 	if test -n "$2"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ git_revert () {
 	fi &&
 	git revert HEAD &&
 	rm -rf * &&
-	tar xf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" &&
+	"$TAR" xf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" &&
 	git status -su >actual &&
 	ls -1pR * >>actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual &&
diff --git a/t/t6041-bisect-submodule.sh b/t/t6041-bisect-submodule.sh
index df1eff0fb8..82013fc903 100755
--- a/t/t6041-bisect-submodule.sh
+++ b/t/t6041-bisect-submodule.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ test_description='bisect can handle submodules'
 git_bisect () {
 	git status -su >expect &&
 	ls -1pR * >>expect &&
-	tar cf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" * &&
+	"$TAR" cf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" * &&
 	GOOD=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD) &&
 	may_only_be_test_must_fail "$2" &&
 	$2 git checkout "$1" &&
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ git_bisect () {
 	git bisect start &&
 	git bisect good $GOOD &&
 	rm -rf * &&
-	tar xf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" &&
+	"$TAR" xf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/tmp.tar" &&
 	git status -su >actual &&
 	ls -1pR * >>actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual &&