diff --git a/t/t0055-beyond-symlinks.sh b/t/t0055-beyond-symlinks.sh
index 6bada37022..c3eb1158ef 100755
--- a/t/t0055-beyond-symlinks.sh
+++ b/t/t0055-beyond-symlinks.sh
@@ -15,12 +15,22 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS setup '
 
 test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'update-index --add beyond symlinks' '
 	test_must_fail git update-index --add c/d &&
-	! ( git ls-files | grep c/d )
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	a
+	b/d
+	EOF
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'add beyond symlinks' '
 	test_must_fail git add c/d &&
-	! ( git ls-files | grep c/d )
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	a
+	b/d
+	EOF
+	git ls-files >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t3700-add.sh b/t/t3700-add.sh
index 51afbd7b24..82dd768944 100755
--- a/t/t3700-add.sh
+++ b/t/t3700-add.sh
@@ -106,24 +106,32 @@ test_expect_success '.gitignore test setup' '
 
 test_expect_success '.gitignore is honored' '
 	git add . &&
-	! (git ls-files | grep "\\.ig")
+	git ls-files >files &&
+	sed -n "/\\.ig/p" <files >actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'error out when attempting to add ignored ones without -f' '
 	test_must_fail git add a.?? &&
-	! (git ls-files | grep "\\.ig")
+	git ls-files >files &&
+	sed -n "/\\.ig/p" <files >actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'error out when attempting to add ignored ones without -f' '
 	test_must_fail git add d.?? &&
-	! (git ls-files | grep "\\.ig")
+	git ls-files >files &&
+	sed -n "/\\.ig/p" <files >actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'error out when attempting to add ignored ones but add others' '
 	touch a.if &&
 	test_must_fail git add a.?? &&
-	! (git ls-files | grep "\\.ig") &&
-	(git ls-files | grep a.if)
+	git ls-files >files &&
+	sed -n "/\\.ig/p" <files >actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty actual &&
+	grep a.if files
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'add ignored ones with -f' '