diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index 7789ff12c4..1dd9b49021 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ test_expect_success 'migrate a remote from named file in $GIT_DIR/branches' '
 	(
 		cd six &&
 		git remote rm origin &&
-		mkdir .git/branches &&
+		mkdir -p .git/branches &&
 		echo "$origin_url#main" >.git/branches/origin &&
 		git remote rename origin origin &&
 		test_path_is_missing .git/branches/origin &&
@@ -1054,7 +1054,7 @@ test_expect_success 'migrate a remote from named file in $GIT_DIR/branches (2)'
 	(
 		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 2e7c0e1648..0550f736b0 100755
--- a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ test_expect_success '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 &&
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch with branches' '
 
 test_expect_success 'fetch with branches containing #' '
 	mk_empty testrepo &&
-	mkdir testrepo/.git/branches &&
+	mkdir -p testrepo/.git/branches &&
 	echo "..#second" > testrepo/.git/branches/branch2 &&
 	(
 		cd testrepo &&
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ test_expect_success '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 &&
@@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ test_expect_success '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 &&