diff --git a/t/t4022-diff-rewrite.sh b/t/t4022-diff-rewrite.sh
index 6d1c3d949c..c6d44e76e2 100755
--- a/t/t4022-diff-rewrite.sh
+++ b/t/t4022-diff-rewrite.sh
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ test_description='rewrite diff'
 
 test_expect_success setup '
 
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >test &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >test &&
 	git add test &&
 	tr \
 	  "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" \
 	  "nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmNOPQRSTUVWXYZABCDEFGHIJKLM" \
-	  <"$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >test &&
+	  <"$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >test &&
 	echo "to be deleted" >test2 &&
 	blob=$(git hash-object test2) &&
 	blob=$(git rev-parse --short $blob) &&
diff --git a/t/t4023-diff-rename-typechange.sh b/t/t4023-diff-rename-typechange.sh
index 8c9823765e..a2854004a9 100755
--- a/t/t4023-diff-rename-typechange.sh
+++ b/t/t4023-diff-rename-typechange.sh
@@ -7,21 +7,21 @@ test_description='typechange rename detection'
 test_expect_success setup '
 
 	rm -f foo bar &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >foo &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >foo &&
 	test_ln_s_add linklink bar &&
 	git add foo &&
 	git commit -a -m Initial &&
 	git tag one &&
 
 	git rm -f foo bar &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >bar &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >bar &&
 	test_ln_s_add linklink foo &&
 	git add bar &&
 	git commit -a -m Second &&
 	git tag two &&
 
 	git rm -f foo bar &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >foo &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >foo &&
 	git add foo &&
 	git commit -a -m Third &&
 	git tag three &&
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	# This is purely for sanity check
 
 	git rm -f foo bar &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >foo &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../Makefile >bar &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >foo &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/README >bar &&
 	git add foo bar &&
 	git commit -a -m Fifth &&
 	git tag five &&
 
 	git rm -f foo bar &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../Makefile >foo &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING >bar &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/README >foo &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING >bar &&
 	git add foo bar &&
 	git commit -a -m Sixth &&
 	git tag six
diff --git a/t/t7001-mv.sh b/t/t7001-mv.sh
index 36b50d0b4c..af8a8da385 100755
--- a/t/t7001-mv.sh
+++ b/t/t7001-mv.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ test_description='git mv in subdirs'
 test_expect_success \
     'prepare reference tree' \
     'mkdir path0 path1 &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING path0/COPYING &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING path0/COPYING &&
      git add path0/COPYING &&
      git commit -m add -a'
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 
 test_expect_success \
     'adding another file' \
-    'cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../README.md path0/README &&
+    'cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/README path0/ &&
      git add path0/README &&
      git commit -m add2 -a'
 
diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
index 53cf42fac1..d96c668fce 100755
--- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
+++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'rename & unmerged setup' '
 	git rm -f -r . &&
-	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY/README" >ONE &&
+	cat "$TEST_DIRECTORY/diff-lib/README" >ONE &&
 	git add ONE &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m "One commit with ONE" &&
diff --git a/t/t7101-reset-empty-subdirs.sh b/t/t7101-reset-empty-subdirs.sh
index 96e163f084..cad2cd46fc 100755
--- a/t/t7101-reset-empty-subdirs.sh
+++ b/t/t7101-reset-empty-subdirs.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ test_description='git reset should cull empty subdirs'
 test_expect_success \
     'creating initial files' \
     'mkdir path0 &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING path0/COPYING &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING path0/COPYING &&
      git add path0/COPYING &&
      git commit -m add -a'
 
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ test_expect_success \
     'creating second files' \
     'mkdir path1 &&
      mkdir path1/path2 &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING path1/path2/COPYING &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING path1/COPYING &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING COPYING &&
-     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/../COPYING path0/COPYING-TOO &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING path1/path2/COPYING &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING path1/COPYING &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING COPYING &&
+     cp "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/diff-lib/COPYING path0/COPYING-TOO &&
      git add path1/path2/COPYING &&
      git add path1/COPYING &&
      git add COPYING &&