diff --git a/builtin-init-db.c b/builtin-init-db.c
index 1d7d15e8d5..01f366ad0b 100644
--- a/builtin-init-db.c
+++ b/builtin-init-db.c
@@ -124,8 +124,11 @@ static void copy_templates(const char *git_dir, int len, const char *template_di
 	int template_len;
 	DIR *dir;
 
-	if (!template_dir)
-		template_dir = DEFAULT_GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR;
+	if (!template_dir) {
+		template_dir = getenv(TEMPLATE_DIR_ENVIRONMENT);
+		if (!template_dir)
+			template_dir = DEFAULT_GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR;
+	}
 	strcpy(template_path, template_dir);
 	template_len = strlen(template_path);
 	if (template_path[template_len-1] != '/') {
diff --git a/builtin-repo-config.c b/builtin-repo-config.c
index a38099a63d..4885930ca4 100644
--- a/builtin-repo-config.c
+++ b/builtin-repo-config.c
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ static int get_value(const char* key_, const char* regex_)
 	char *global = NULL, *repo_config = NULL;
 	const char *local;
 
-	local = getenv("GIT_CONFIG");
+	local = getenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT);
 	if (!local) {
 		const char *home = getenv("HOME");
-		local = getenv("GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL");
+		local = getenv(CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT);
 		if (!local)
 			local = repo_config = xstrdup(git_path("config"));
 		if (home)
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 8ad5920d2b..4943056c19 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ extern int cache_errno;
 #define DB_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY"
 #define INDEX_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_INDEX_FILE"
 #define GRAFT_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_GRAFT_FILE"
+#define TEMPLATE_DIR_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR"
+#define CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_CONFIG"
+#define CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL"
+#define EXEC_PATH_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_EXEC_PATH"
 
 extern int is_bare_git_dir(const char *dir);
 extern const char *get_git_dir(void);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 663993fefa..6a4224e98c 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -350,10 +350,10 @@ int git_config(config_fn_t fn)
 	 * $GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL will make it process it in addition to the
 	 * global config file, the same way it would the per-repository
 	 * config file otherwise. */
-	filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG");
+	filename = getenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT);
 	if (!filename) {
 		home = getenv("HOME");
-		filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL");
+		filename = getenv(CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT);
 		if (!filename)
 			filename = repo_config = xstrdup(git_path("config"));
 	}
@@ -544,9 +544,9 @@ int git_config_set_multivar(const char* key, const char* value,
 	char* lock_file;
 	const char* last_dot = strrchr(key, '.');
 
-	config_filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG");
+	config_filename = getenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT);
 	if (!config_filename) {
-		config_filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL");
+		config_filename = getenv(CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT);
 		if (!config_filename)
 			config_filename  = git_path("config");
 	}
@@ -754,9 +754,9 @@ int git_config_rename_section(const char *old_name, const char *new_name)
 	int out_fd;
 	char buf[1024];
 
-	config_filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG");
+	config_filename = getenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT);
 	if (!config_filename) {
-		config_filename = getenv("GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL");
+		config_filename = getenv(CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT);
 		if (!config_filename)
 			config_filename  = git_path("config");
 	}
diff --git a/exec_cmd.c b/exec_cmd.c
index 5d6a1247b4..3996bce33f 100644
--- a/exec_cmd.c
+++ b/exec_cmd.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const char *git_exec_path(void)
 	if (current_exec_path)
 		return current_exec_path;
 
-	env = getenv("GIT_EXEC_PATH");
+	env = getenv(EXEC_PATH_ENVIRONMENT);
 	if (env && *env) {
 		return env;
 	}
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ int execv_git_cmd(const char **argv)
 	char git_command[PATH_MAX + 1];
 	int i;
 	const char *paths[] = { current_exec_path,
-				getenv("GIT_EXEC_PATH"),
+				getenv(EXEC_PATH_ENVIRONMENT),
 				builtin_exec_path };
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(paths); ++i) {
diff --git a/git-parse-remote.sh b/git-parse-remote.sh
index 11c4aba244..ea7511e8a0 100755
--- a/git-parse-remote.sh
+++ b/git-parse-remote.sh
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ canon_refs_list_for_fetch () {
 	# or the first one otherwise; add prefix . to the rest
 	# to prevent the secondary branches to be merged by default.
 	merge_branches=
-	found_mergeref=
 	curr_branch=
 	if test "$1" = "-d"
 	then
@@ -172,10 +171,6 @@ canon_refs_list_for_fetch () {
 			    dot_prefix= && break
 			done
 		fi
-		if test -z $dot_prefix
-		then
-			found_mergeref=true
-		fi
 		case "$remote" in
 		'') remote=HEAD ;;
 		refs/heads/* | refs/tags/* | refs/remotes/*) ;;
@@ -196,11 +191,6 @@ canon_refs_list_for_fetch () {
 		fi
 		echo "${dot_prefix}${force}${remote}:${local}"
 	done
-	if test -z "$found_mergeref" -a "$curr_branch"
-	then
-		echo >&2 "Warning: No merge candidate found because value of config option
-         \"branch.${curr_branch}.merge\" does not match any remote branch fetched."
-	fi
 }
 
 # Returns list of src: (no store), or src:dst (store)
diff --git a/git-pull.sh b/git-pull.sh
index e23beb685d..1703091bbb 100755
--- a/git-pull.sh
+++ b/git-pull.sh
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ merge_head=$(sed -e '/	not-for-merge	/d' \
 
 case "$merge_head" in
 '')
+	curr_branch=$(git-symbolic-ref HEAD | \
+		sed -e 's|^refs/heads/||')
+	echo >&2 "Warning: No merge candidate found because value of config option
+         \"branch.${curr_branch}.merge\" does not match any remote branch fetched."
 	echo >&2 "No changes."
 	exit 0
 	;;
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 6dd6e2e5af..ae4dcfbe5b 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct commit *result, *h1, *h2;
 
 	git_config(git_default_config); /* core.filemode */
-	original_index_file = getenv("GIT_INDEX_FILE");
+	original_index_file = getenv(INDEX_ENVIRONMENT);
 
 	if (!original_index_file)
 		original_index_file = xstrdup(git_path("index"));
diff --git a/t/t4116-apply-reverse.sh b/t/t4116-apply-reverse.sh
index a79c77af39..74f5c2a575 100755
--- a/t/t4116-apply-reverse.sh
+++ b/t/t4116-apply-reverse.sh
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ test_expect_success 'setup separate repository lacking postimage' '
 
 	git tar-tree initial initial | tar xf - &&
 	(
-		cd initial && git_init_db && git add .
+		cd initial && git init-db && git add .
 	) &&
 
 	git tar-tree second second | tar xf - &&
 	(
-		cd second && git_init_db && git add .
+		cd second && git init-db && git add .
 	)
 
 '
diff --git a/t/t5300-pack-object.sh b/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
index 8a8152b257..de45ac4e0f 100755
--- a/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
+++ b/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'unpack without delta' \
     "GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY=.git2/objects &&
      export GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY &&
-     git_init_db &&
+     git-init-db &&
      git-unpack-objects -n <test-1-${packname_1}.pack &&
      git-unpack-objects <test-1-${packname_1}.pack"
 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'unpack with delta' \
     'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY=.git2/objects &&
      export GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY &&
-     git_init_db &&
+     git-init-db &&
      git-unpack-objects -n <test-2-${packname_2}.pack &&
      git-unpack-objects <test-2-${packname_2}.pack'
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'use packed objects' \
     'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY=.git2/objects &&
      export GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY &&
-     git_init_db &&
+     git-init-db &&
      cp test-1-${packname_1}.pack test-1-${packname_1}.idx .git2/objects/pack && {
 	 git-diff-tree --root -p $commit &&
 	 while read object
diff --git a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
index 901da8c4a9..28744b35e1 100755
--- a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
+++ b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	    parent=$commit || return 1
 	done &&
 	git-update-ref HEAD "$commit" &&
-	git_clone -l ./. victim &&
+	git-clone -l ./. victim &&
 	cd victim &&
 	git-log &&
 	cd .. &&
diff --git a/t/t5500-fetch-pack.sh b/t/t5500-fetch-pack.sh
index 0ab0e8f19d..fa10840303 100755
--- a/t/t5500-fetch-pack.sh
+++ b/t/t5500-fetch-pack.sh
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ pull_to_client () {
 (
 	mkdir client &&
 	cd client &&
-	git_init_db 2>> log2.txt
+	git-init-db 2>> log2.txt
 )
 
 add A1
diff --git a/t/t5510-fetch.sh b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
index e2e8c894f9..90eeeba2a3 100755
--- a/t/t5510-fetch.sh
+++ b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
@@ -15,23 +15,22 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	git commit -a -m original'
 
 test_expect_success "clone and setup child repos" '
-	git_clone . one &&
+	git clone . one &&
 	cd one &&
 	echo >file updated by one &&
 	git commit -a -m "updated by one" &&
 	cd .. &&
-	git_clone . two &&
+	git clone . two &&
 	cd two &&
 	git repo-config branch.master.remote one &&
-	{
-		echo "URL: ../one/.git/"
-		echo "Pull: refs/heads/master:refs/heads/one"
-	} >.git/remotes/one
+	git repo-config remote.one.url ../one/.git/ &&
+	git repo-config remote.one.fetch refs/heads/master:refs/heads/one &&
 	cd .. &&
-	git_clone . three &&
+	git clone . three &&
 	cd three &&
 	git repo-config branch.master.remote two &&
 	git repo-config branch.master.merge refs/heads/one &&
+	mkdir -p .git/remotes &&
 	{
 		echo "URL: ../two/.git/"
 		echo "Pull: refs/heads/master:refs/heads/two"
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch following tags' '
 
 	mkdir four &&
 	cd four &&
-	git_init_db &&
+	git init-db &&
 
 	git fetch .. :track &&
 	git show-ref --verify refs/tags/anno &&
diff --git a/t/t5520-pull.sh b/t/t5520-pull.sh
index 66ef92f41f..f841574573 100755
--- a/t/t5520-pull.sh
+++ b/t/t5520-pull.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 test_expect_success 'pulling into void' '
 	mkdir cloned &&
 	cd cloned &&
-	git_init_db &&
+	git init-db &&
 	git pull ..
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t5600-clone-fail-cleanup.sh b/t/t5600-clone-fail-cleanup.sh
index 1913a12d71..041be04f5c 100755
--- a/t/t5600-clone-fail-cleanup.sh
+++ b/t/t5600-clone-fail-cleanup.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ remove the directory before attempting a clone again.'
 
 test_expect_failure \
     'clone of non-existent source should fail' \
-    'git_clone foo bar'
+    'git-clone foo bar'
 
 test_expect_failure \
     'failed clone should not leave a directory' \
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ test_create_repo foo
 # current path not to the target dir
 test_expect_failure \
     'clone of non-existent (relative to $PWD) source should fail' \
-    'git_clone ../foo baz'
+    'git-clone ../foo baz'
 
 test_expect_success \
     'clone should work now that source exists' \
-    'git_clone foo bar'
+    'git-clone foo bar'
 
 test_expect_success \
     'successfull clone must leave the directory' \
diff --git a/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh b/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
index 52dab2d484..dd9caad1c2 100755
--- a/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
+++ b/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ git commit -m initial'
 cd "$base_dir"
 
 test_expect_success 'preparing second repository' \
-'git_clone A B && cd B &&
+'git clone A B && cd B &&
 echo second > file2 &&
 git add file2 &&
 git commit -m addition &&
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ git prune'
 cd "$base_dir"
 
 test_expect_success 'cloning with reference' \
-'git_clone -l -s --reference B A C'
+'git clone -l -s --reference B A C'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
diff --git a/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh b/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
index 3c43554c69..b9f6d96363 100755
--- a/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
+++ b/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ git prune'
 cd "$base_dir"
 
 test_expect_success 'preparing second repository' \
-'git_clone -l -s A B && cd B &&
+'git clone -l -s A B && cd B &&
 echo "foo bar" > file2 &&
 git add file2 &&
 git commit -m "next commit" file2 &&
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ git prune'
 cd "$base_dir"
 
 test_expect_success 'preparing third repository' \
-'git_clone -l -s B C && cd C &&
+'git clone -l -s B C && cd C &&
 echo "Goodbye, cruel world" > file3 &&
 git add file3 &&
 git commit -m "one more" file3 &&
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ git prune'
 cd "$base_dir"
 
 test_expect_failure 'creating too deep nesting' \
-'git_clone -l -s C D &&
-git_clone -l -s D E &&
-git_clone -l -s E F &&
-git_clone -l -s F G &&
-git_clone -l -s G H &&
+'git clone -l -s C D &&
+git clone -l -s D E &&
+git clone -l -s E F &&
+git clone -l -s F G &&
+git clone -l -s G H &&
 cd H &&
 test_valid_repo'
 
diff --git a/t/t7001-mv.sh b/t/t7001-mv.sh
index ae597e80dd..2f4ff82e14 100755
--- a/t/t7001-mv.sh
+++ b/t/t7001-mv.sh
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 
 test_expect_success "Michael Cassar's test case" '
 	rm -fr .git papers partA &&
-	git_init_db &&
+	git init-db &&
 	mkdir -p papers/unsorted papers/all-papers partA &&
 	echo a > papers/unsorted/Thesis.pdf &&
 	echo b > partA/outline.txt &&
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ rm -fr papers partA path?
 
 test_expect_success "Sergey Vlasov's test case" '
 	rm -fr .git &&
-	git_init_db &&
+	git init-db &&
 	mkdir ab &&
 	date >ab.c &&
 	date >ab/d &&
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 7e9149751e..f0f9cd6be0 100755
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -182,16 +182,6 @@ test_create_repo () {
 	cd "$owd"
 }
 	
-# Many tests do init-db and clone but they must be told about the freshly
-# built templates.
-git_init_db () {
-	git init-db --template="$GIT_EXEC_PATH/templates/blt/" "$@"
-}
-
-git_clone () {
-	git clone --template="$GIT_EXEC_PATH/templates/blt/" "$@"
-}
-
 test_done () {
 	trap - exit
 	case "$test_failure" in
@@ -218,8 +208,9 @@ test_done () {
 # t/ subdirectory and are run in trash subdirectory.
 PATH=$(pwd)/..:$PATH
 GIT_EXEC_PATH=$(pwd)/..
+GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR=$(pwd)/../templates/blt
 HOME=$(pwd)/trash
-export PATH GIT_EXEC_PATH HOME
+export PATH GIT_EXEC_PATH GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR HOME
 
 GITPERLLIB=$(pwd)/../perl/blib/lib:$(pwd)/../perl/blib/arch/auto/Git
 export GITPERLLIB
diff --git a/templates/remotes-- b/templates/remotes--
deleted file mode 100644
index fae88709a6..0000000000
--- a/templates/remotes--
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-: this is just to ensure the directory exists.