diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index e592c0bcde..ed8ef69863 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'migrate a remote from named file in
 	(
 		cd six &&
 		git remote rm origin &&
-		mkdir .git/branches &&
+		mkdir -p .git/branches &&
 		echo "$origin_url#main" >.git/branches/origin &&
 		git remote rename origin origin &&
 		test_path_is_missing .git/branches/origin &&
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'migrate a remote from named file in
 	(
 		cd seven &&
 		git remote rm origin &&
-		mkdir .git/branches &&
+		mkdir -p .git/branches &&
 		echo "quux#foom" > .git/branches/origin &&
 		git remote rename origin origin &&
 		test_path_is_missing .git/branches/origin &&
diff --git a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
index 46926e7bbd..c15963c3d0 100755
--- a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'fetch with branches' '
 	mk_empty testrepo &&
 	git branch second $the_first_commit &&
 	git checkout second &&
-	mkdir testrepo/.git/branches &&
+	mkdir -p testrepo/.git/branches &&
 	echo ".." > testrepo/.git/branches/branch1 &&
 	(
 		cd testrepo &&
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'fetch with branches' '
 
 test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'fetch with branches containing #' '
 	mk_empty testrepo &&
-	mkdir testrepo/.git/branches &&
+	mkdir -p testrepo/.git/branches &&
 	echo "..#second" > testrepo/.git/branches/branch2 &&
 	(
 		cd testrepo &&
@@ -964,7 +964,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'push with branches' '
 	git checkout second &&
 
 	test_when_finished "rm -rf .git/branches" &&
-	mkdir .git/branches &&
+	mkdir -p .git/branches &&
 	echo "testrepo" > .git/branches/branch1 &&
 
 	git push branch1 &&
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ test_expect_success !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES 'push with branches containing #' '
 	mk_empty testrepo &&
 
 	test_when_finished "rm -rf .git/branches" &&
-	mkdir .git/branches &&
+	mkdir -p .git/branches &&
 	echo "testrepo#branch3" > .git/branches/branch2 &&
 
 	git push branch2 &&