diff --git a/t/t3600-rm.sh b/t/t3600-rm.sh
index 06f63848ea..37bf5f13b0 100755
--- a/t/t3600-rm.sh
+++ b/t/t3600-rm.sh
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ test_expect_success 'rm of a conflicted populated submodule with a .git director
 	git submodule update &&
 	(cd submod &&
 		rm .git &&
-		cp -a ../.git/modules/sub .git &&
+		cp -R ../.git/modules/sub .git &&
 		GIT_WORK_TREE=. git config --unset core.worktree
 	) &&
 	test_must_fail git merge conflict2 &&
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ test_expect_success 'rm of a populated submodule with a .git directory fails eve
 	git submodule update &&
 	(cd submod &&
 		rm .git &&
-		cp -a ../.git/modules/sub .git &&
+		cp -R ../.git/modules/sub .git &&
 		GIT_WORK_TREE=. git config --unset core.worktree
 	) &&
 	test_must_fail git rm submod &&
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ test_expect_success 'rm of a populated nested submodule with a nested .git direc
 	git submodule update --recursive &&
 	(cd submod/subsubmod &&
 		rm .git &&
-		cp -a ../../.git/modules/sub/modules/sub .git &&
+		cp -R ../../.git/modules/sub/modules/sub .git &&
 		GIT_WORK_TREE=. git config --unset core.worktree
 	) &&
 	test_must_fail git rm submod &&
diff --git a/t/t9020-remote-svn.sh b/t/t9020-remote-svn.sh
index 4f2dfe0e3d..d7be66a1d6 100755
--- a/t/t9020-remote-svn.sh
+++ b/t/t9020-remote-svn.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,13 @@ then
 	test_done
 fi
 
-# We override svnrdump by placing a symlink to the svnrdump-emulator in .
-export PATH="$HOME:$PATH"
-ln -sf $GIT_BUILD_DIR/contrib/svn-fe/svnrdump_sim.py "$HOME/svnrdump"
+# Override svnrdump with our simulator
+PATH="$HOME:$PATH"
+export PATH PYTHON_PATH GIT_BUILD_DIR
+
+write_script "$HOME/svnrdump" <<\EOF
+exec "$PYTHON_PATH" "$GIT_BUILD_DIR/contrib/svn-fe/svnrdump_sim.py" "$@"
+EOF
 
 init_git () {
 	rm -fr .git &&