diff --git a/t/t4209-log-pickaxe.sh b/t/t4209-log-pickaxe.sh
index 38fb80f643..ff668b5877 100755
--- a/t/t4209-log-pickaxe.sh
+++ b/t/t4209-log-pickaxe.sh
@@ -4,80 +4,74 @@ test_description='log --grep/--author/--regexp-ignore-case/-S/-G'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success setup '
+	>expect_nomatch &&
+
 	>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m initial &&
+	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect_initial &&
 
 	echo Picked >file &&
+	git add file &&
 	test_tick &&
-	git commit -a --author="Another Person <another@example.com>" -m second
+	git commit --author="Another Person <another@example.com>" -m second &&
+	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect_second
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log --grep' '
 	git log --grep=initial --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD^ >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_initial actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log --grep --regexp-ignore-case' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case --grep=InItial --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD^ >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_initial actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log --grep -i' '
 	git log -i --grep=InItial --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD^ >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_initial actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log --author --regexp-ignore-case' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case --author=person --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log --author -i' '
 	git log -i --author=person --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G (nomatch)' '
 	git log -Gpicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G (match)' '
 	git log -GPicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G --regexp-ignore-case (nomatch)' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case -Gpickle --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G -i (nomatch)' '
 	git log -i -Gpickle --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G --regexp-ignore-case (match)' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case -Gpicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G -i (match)' '
 	git log -i -Gpicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -G --textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
@@ -89,45 +83,38 @@ test_expect_success 'log -G --textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
 test_expect_success 'log -G --no-textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
 	echo "* diff=test" >.gitattributes &&
 	git -c diff.test.textconv=missing log -Gfoo --no-textconv >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual &&
 	rm .gitattributes
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S (nomatch)' '
 	git log -Spicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S (match)' '
 	git log -SPicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S --regexp-ignore-case (match)' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case -Spicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S -i (match)' '
 	git log -i -Spicked --format=%H >actual &&
-	git rev-parse --verify HEAD >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_second actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S --regexp-ignore-case (nomatch)' '
 	git log --regexp-ignore-case -Spickle --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S -i (nomatch)' '
 	git log -i -Spickle --format=%H >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'log -S --textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
@@ -139,8 +126,7 @@ test_expect_success 'log -S --textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
 test_expect_success 'log -S --no-textconv (missing textconv tool)' '
 	echo "* diff=test" >.gitattributes &&
 	git -c diff.test.textconv=missing log -Sfoo --no-textconv >actual &&
-	>expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	test_cmp expect_nomatch actual &&
 	rm .gitattributes
 '