diff --git a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
index cd24018ce99..5f505e2f353 100755
--- a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
@@ -221,15 +221,15 @@ test_expect_success 'delete symref without dereference when the referred ref is
 test_expect_success 'update-ref -d is not confused by self-reference' '
 	git symbolic-ref refs/heads/self refs/heads/self &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF refs/heads/self" &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/self &&
+	git symbolic-ref --no-recurse refs/heads/self &&
 	test_must_fail git update-ref -d refs/heads/self &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/self
+	git symbolic-ref --no-recurse refs/heads/self
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete self-reference' '
 	git symbolic-ref refs/heads/self refs/heads/self &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF refs/heads/self" &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/self &&
+	git symbolic-ref --no-recurse refs/heads/self &&
 	git update-ref --no-deref -d refs/heads/self &&
 	test_must_fail git show-ref --verify -q refs/heads/self
 '
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete reference to bad ref' '
 	test_when_finished "rm -f .git/refs/heads/bad" &&
 	git symbolic-ref refs/heads/ref-to-bad refs/heads/bad &&
 	test_when_finished "git update-ref -d refs/heads/ref-to-bad" &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/ref-to-bad &&
+	git symbolic-ref --no-recurse refs/heads/ref-to-bad &&
 	git update-ref --no-deref -d refs/heads/ref-to-bad &&
 	test_must_fail git show-ref --verify -q refs/heads/ref-to-bad
 '
diff --git a/t/t1430-bad-ref-name.sh b/t/t1430-bad-ref-name.sh
index 7b7d6953c62..5debb91f7b7 100755
--- a/t/t1430-bad-ref-name.sh
+++ b/t/t1430-bad-ref-name.sh
@@ -164,9 +164,9 @@ test_expect_success 'rev-parse skips symref pointing to broken name' '
 test_expect_success 'for-each-ref emits warnings for broken names' '
 	test-tool ref-store main update-ref msg "refs/heads/broken...ref" $main_sha1 $ZERO_OID REF_SKIP_REFNAME_VERIFICATION &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...ref" &&
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/broken...ref\n" >.git/refs/heads/badname &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/badname refs/heads/broken...ref &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/badname" &&
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/main\n" >.git/refs/heads/broken...symref &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/broken...symref refs/heads/main &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...symref" &&
 	git for-each-ref >output 2>error &&
 	! grep -e "broken\.\.\.ref" output &&
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update-ref -d can delete broken name through symref' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete symref with broken name' '
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/main\n" >.git/refs/heads/broken...symref &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/broken...symref refs/heads/main &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...symref" &&
 	test_ref_exists refs/heads/broken...symref &&
 	git update-ref --no-deref -d refs/heads/broken...symref >output 2>error &&
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete symref with broken name
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'branch -d can delete symref with broken name' '
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/main\n" >.git/refs/heads/broken...symref &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/broken...symref refs/heads/main &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...symref" &&
 	test_ref_exists refs/heads/broken...symref &&
 	git branch -d broken...symref >output 2>error &&
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ test_expect_success 'branch -d can delete symref with broken name' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete dangling symref with broken name' '
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/idonotexist\n" >.git/refs/heads/broken...symref &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/broken...symref refs/heads/idonotexist &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...symref" &&
 	test_ref_exists refs/heads/broken...symref &&
 	git update-ref --no-deref -d refs/heads/broken...symref >output 2>error &&
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update-ref --no-deref -d can delete dangling symref with br
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'branch -d can delete dangling symref with broken name' '
-	printf "ref: refs/heads/idonotexist\n" >.git/refs/heads/broken...symref &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref refs/heads/broken...symref refs/heads/idonotexist &&
 	test_when_finished "test-tool ref-store main delete-refs REF_NO_DEREF msg refs/heads/broken...symref" &&
 	test_ref_exists refs/heads/broken...symref &&
 	git branch -d broken...symref >output 2>error &&
diff --git a/t/t1450-fsck.sh b/t/t1450-fsck.sh
index 5cce24f1006..804a5594ddd 100755
--- a/t/t1450-fsck.sh
+++ b/t/t1450-fsck.sh
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ test_expect_success 'HEAD link pointing at a funny object' '
 test_expect_success 'HEAD link pointing at a funny place' '
 	saved_head=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD) &&
 	test_when_finished "git update-ref --no-deref HEAD ${saved_head}" &&
-	echo "ref: refs/funny/place" >.git/HEAD &&
+	test-tool ref-store main create-symref HEAD refs/funny/place &&
 	# avoid corrupt/broken HEAD from interfering with repo discovery
 	test_must_fail env GIT_DIR=.git git fsck 2>out &&
 	test_i18ngrep "HEAD points to something strange" out
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ test_expect_success 'other worktree HEAD link pointing at missing object' '
 test_expect_success 'other worktree HEAD link pointing at a funny place' '
 	test_when_finished "rm -rf .git/worktrees other" &&
 	git worktree add other &&
-	echo "ref: refs/funny/place" >.git/worktrees/other/HEAD &&
+	git -C other symbolic-ref HEAD refs/funny/place &&
 	test_must_fail git fsck 2>out &&
 	test_i18ngrep "worktrees/other/HEAD points to something strange" out
 '
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index bde4f1485b7..874520e3f10 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -215,10 +215,13 @@ test_expect_success 'git branch -M should leave orphaned HEAD alone' '
 		cd orphan &&
 		test_commit initial &&
 		git checkout --orphan lonely &&
-		grep lonely .git/HEAD &&
+		git symbolic-ref HEAD >expect &&
+		echo refs/heads/lonely >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
 		test_ref_missing refs/head/lonely &&
 		git branch -M main mistress &&
-		grep lonely .git/HEAD
+		git symbolic-ref HEAD >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
 	)
 '
 
@@ -809,7 +812,7 @@ test_expect_success 'deleting a symref' '
 
 test_expect_success 'deleting a dangling symref' '
 	git symbolic-ref refs/heads/dangling-symref nowhere &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/dangling-symref &&
+	git symbolic-ref --no-recurse refs/heads/dangling-symref &&
 	echo "Deleted branch dangling-symref (was nowhere)." >expect &&
 	git branch -d dangling-symref >actual &&
 	test_ref_missing refs/heads/dangling-symref &&
diff --git a/t/t4013-diff-various.sh b/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
index 5de1d190759..5abbea36b39 100755
--- a/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
+++ b/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ test_expect_success 'log -S requires an argument' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'diff --cached on unborn branch' '
-	echo ref: refs/heads/unborn >.git/HEAD &&
+	git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/unborn &&
 	git diff --cached >result &&
 	process_diffs result >actual &&
 	process_diffs "$TEST_DIRECTORY/t4013/diff.diff_--cached" >expected &&
diff --git a/t/t4202-log.sh b/t/t4202-log.sh
index af4a123cd22..57b298a4e22 100755
--- a/t/t4202-log.sh
+++ b/t/t4202-log.sh
@@ -2265,7 +2265,7 @@ test_expect_success REFFILES 'log diagnoses bogus HEAD hash' '
 
 test_expect_success REFFILES 'log diagnoses bogus HEAD symref' '
 	git init empty &&
-	echo "ref: refs/heads/invalid.lock" > empty/.git/HEAD &&
+	test-tool -C empty ref-store main create-symref HEAD refs/heads/invalid.lock &&
 	test_must_fail git -C empty log 2>stderr &&
 	test_i18ngrep broken stderr &&
 	test_must_fail git -C empty log --default totally-bogus 2>stderr &&
diff --git a/t/t5605-clone-local.sh b/t/t5605-clone-local.sh
index 946c5751885..bedd29d0550 100755
--- a/t/t5605-clone-local.sh
+++ b/t/t5605-clone-local.sh
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test_expect_success 'Even without -l, local will make a hardlink' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'local clone of repo with nonexistent ref in HEAD' '
-	echo "ref: refs/heads/nonexistent" > a.git/HEAD &&
+	git -C a.git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/nonexistent &&
 	git clone a d &&
 	(cd d &&
 	git fetch &&
diff --git a/t/t5702-protocol-v2.sh b/t/t5702-protocol-v2.sh
index 6af5c2062fd..dcc4cd95fe7 100755
--- a/t/t5702-protocol-v2.sh
+++ b/t/t5702-protocol-v2.sh
@@ -221,7 +221,9 @@ test_expect_success 'clone of empty repo propagates name of default branch' '
 	GIT_TEST_DEFAULT_INITIAL_BRANCH_NAME= \
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=main -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone "file://$(pwd)/file_empty_parent" file_empty_child &&
-	grep "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" file_empty_child/.git/HEAD
+	echo refs/heads/mydefaultbranch >expect &&
+	git -C file_empty_child symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success '...but not if explicitly forbidden by config' '
@@ -234,7 +236,9 @@ test_expect_success '...but not if explicitly forbidden by config' '
 	GIT_TEST_DEFAULT_INITIAL_BRANCH_NAME= \
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=main -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone "file://$(pwd)/file_empty_parent" file_empty_child &&
-	! grep "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" file_empty_child/.git/HEAD
+	echo refs/heads/main >expect &&
+	git -C file_empty_child symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'bare clone propagates empty default branch' '
@@ -247,7 +251,9 @@ test_expect_success 'bare clone propagates empty default branch' '
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=main -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone --bare \
 		"file://$(pwd)/file_empty_parent" file_empty_child.git &&
-	grep "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" file_empty_child.git/HEAD
+	echo "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" >expect &&
+	git -C file_empty_child.git symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'clone propagates unborn HEAD from non-empty repo' '
@@ -265,7 +271,9 @@ test_expect_success 'clone propagates unborn HEAD from non-empty repo' '
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=main -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone "file://$(pwd)/file_unborn_parent" \
 		file_unborn_child 2>stderr &&
-	grep "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" file_unborn_child/.git/HEAD &&
+	echo "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" >expect &&
+	git -C file_unborn_child symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	grep "warning: remote HEAD refers to nonexistent ref" stderr
 '
 
@@ -295,7 +303,9 @@ test_expect_success 'bare clone propagates unborn HEAD from non-empty repo' '
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=main -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone --bare "file://$(pwd)/file_unborn_parent" \
 		file_unborn_child.git 2>stderr &&
-	grep "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" file_unborn_child.git/HEAD &&
+	echo "refs/heads/mydefaultbranch" >expect &&
+	git -C file_unborn_child.git symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	! grep "warning:" stderr
 '
 
@@ -315,7 +325,9 @@ test_expect_success 'defaulted HEAD uses remote branch if available' '
 	git -c init.defaultBranch=branchwithstuff -c protocol.version=2 \
 		clone "file://$(pwd)/file_unborn_parent" \
 		file_unborn_child 2>stderr &&
-	grep "refs/heads/branchwithstuff" file_unborn_child/.git/HEAD &&
+	echo "refs/heads/branchwithstuff" >expect &&
+	git -C file_unborn_child symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	test_path_is_file file_unborn_child/stuff.t &&
 	! grep "warning:" stderr
 '
diff --git a/t/t9133-git-svn-nested-git-repo.sh b/t/t9133-git-svn-nested-git-repo.sh
index d8d536269cf..8ca24670acb 100755
--- a/t/t9133-git-svn-nested-git-repo.sh
+++ b/t/t9133-git-svn-nested-git-repo.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup repo with a git repo inside it' '
 	(
 		cd s &&
 		git init &&
-		test -f .git/HEAD &&
+		git symbolic-ref HEAD &&
 		> .git/a &&
 		echo a > a &&
 		svn_cmd add .git a &&
