diff --git a/t/t7503-pre-commit-and-pre-merge-commit-hooks.sh b/t/t7503-pre-commit-and-pre-merge-commit-hooks.sh
index a6f1240aa2..477207cb5c 100755
--- a/t/t7503-pre-commit-and-pre-merge-commit-hooks.sh
+++ b/t/t7503-pre-commit-and-pre-merge-commit-hooks.sh
@@ -42,43 +42,35 @@ test_expect_success 'root commit' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with no hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f actual_hooks" &&
 	echo "foo" >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit -m "first" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with no hook (merge)' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f actual_hooks" &&
 	git checkout side &&
 	git merge -m "merge master" master &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with no hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f actual_hooks" &&
 	echo "bar" >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit --no-verify -m "bar" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with no hook (merge)' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f actual_hooks" &&
 	git checkout side &&
 	git merge --no-verify -m "merge master" master &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with succeeding hook' '
@@ -104,25 +96,21 @@ test_expect_success 'with succeeding hook (merge)' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with succeeding hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" actual_hooks" &&
 	ln -s "success.sample" "$PRECOMMIT" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	echo "even more" >>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit --no-verify -m "even more" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with succeeding hook (merge)' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PREMERGE\" expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PREMERGE\" actual_hooks" &&
 	ln -s "success.sample" "$PREMERGE" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	git checkout side &&
 	git merge --no-verify -m "merge master" master &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with failing hook' '
@@ -137,14 +125,12 @@ test_expect_success 'with failing hook' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with failing hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" actual_hooks" &&
 	ln -s "fail.sample" "$PRECOMMIT" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	echo "stuff" >>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit --no-verify -m "stuff" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with failing hook (merge)' '
@@ -159,38 +145,32 @@ test_expect_success 'with failing hook (merge)' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify with failing hook (merge)' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PREMERGE\" expected_hooks actual_hooks" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PREMERGE\" actual_hooks" &&
 	ln -s "fail.sample" "$PREMERGE" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	git checkout side &&
 	git merge --no-verify -m "merge master" master &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success POSIXPERM 'with non-executable hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" expected_hooks actual_hooks && chmod +x \"$HOOKDIR/fail.sample\"" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" actual_hooks && chmod +x \"$HOOKDIR/fail.sample\"" &&
 	ln -s "fail.sample" "$PRECOMMIT" &&
 	chmod -x "$HOOKDIR/fail.sample" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	echo "content" >>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit -m "content" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success POSIXPERM '--no-verify with non-executable hook' '
-	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" expected_hooks actual_hooks && chmod +x \"$HOOKDIR/fail.sample\"" &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f \"$PRECOMMIT\" actual_hooks && chmod +x \"$HOOKDIR/fail.sample\"" &&
 	ln -s "fail.sample" "$PRECOMMIT" &&
 	chmod -x "$HOOKDIR/fail.sample" &&
-	>expected_hooks &&
-	>actual_hooks &&
 	echo "more content" >>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	git commit --no-verify -m "more content" &&
-	test_cmp expected_hooks actual_hooks
+	test_path_is_missing actual_hooks
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'with hook requiring GIT_PREFIX' '
