diff --git a/t/t5571-pre-push-hook.sh b/t/t5571-pre-push-hook.sh
index 660f876eec..96d6ecc0af 100755
--- a/t/t5571-pre-push-hook.sh
+++ b/t/t5571-pre-push-hook.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ HOOKDIR="$(git rev-parse --git-dir)/hooks"
 HOOK="$HOOKDIR/pre-push"
 mkdir -p "$HOOKDIR"
 write_script "$HOOK" <<EOF
-cat >/dev/null
+cat >actual
 exit 0
 EOF
 
@@ -20,10 +20,16 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 	git init --bare repo1 &&
 	git remote add parent1 repo1 &&
 	test_commit one &&
-	git push parent1 HEAD:foreign
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	HEAD $(git rev-parse HEAD) refs/heads/foreign $(test_oid zero)
+	EOF
+
+	test_when_finished "rm actual" &&
+	git push parent1 HEAD:foreign &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 write_script "$HOOK" <<EOF
-cat >/dev/null
+cat >actual
 exit 1
 EOF
 
@@ -32,11 +38,18 @@ export COMMIT1
 
 test_expect_success 'push with failing hook' '
 	test_commit two &&
-	test_must_fail git push parent1 HEAD
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	HEAD $(git rev-parse HEAD) refs/heads/main $(test_oid zero)
+	EOF
+
+	test_when_finished "rm actual" &&
+	test_must_fail git push parent1 HEAD &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--no-verify bypasses hook' '
-	git push --no-verify parent1 HEAD
+	git push --no-verify parent1 HEAD &&
+	test_path_is_missing actual
 '
 
 COMMIT2="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
@@ -48,15 +61,15 @@ echo "$2" >>actual
 cat >>actual
 EOF
 
-cat >expected <<EOF
-parent1
-repo1
-refs/heads/main $COMMIT2 refs/heads/foreign $COMMIT1
-EOF
-
 test_expect_success 'push with hook' '
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	parent1
+	repo1
+	refs/heads/main $COMMIT2 refs/heads/foreign $COMMIT1
+	EOF
+
 	git push parent1 main:foreign &&
-	diff expected actual
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'add a branch' '
@@ -67,49 +80,48 @@ test_expect_success 'add a branch' '
 COMMIT3="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
 export COMMIT3
 
-cat >expected <<EOF
-parent1
-repo1
-refs/heads/other $COMMIT3 refs/heads/foreign $COMMIT2
-EOF
-
 test_expect_success 'push to default' '
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	parent1
+	repo1
+	refs/heads/other $COMMIT3 refs/heads/foreign $COMMIT2
+	EOF
 	git push &&
-	diff expected actual
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-cat >expected <<EOF
-parent1
-repo1
-refs/tags/one $COMMIT1 refs/tags/tag1 $ZERO_OID
-HEAD~ $COMMIT2 refs/heads/prev $ZERO_OID
-EOF
-
 test_expect_success 'push non-branches' '
-	git push parent1 one:tag1 HEAD~:refs/heads/prev &&
-	diff expected actual
-'
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	parent1
+	repo1
+	refs/tags/one $COMMIT1 refs/tags/tag1 $ZERO_OID
+	HEAD~ $COMMIT2 refs/heads/prev $ZERO_OID
+	EOF
 
-cat >expected <<EOF
-parent1
-repo1
-(delete) $ZERO_OID refs/heads/prev $COMMIT2
-EOF
+	git push parent1 one:tag1 HEAD~:refs/heads/prev &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
 
 test_expect_success 'push delete' '
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	parent1
+	repo1
+	(delete) $ZERO_OID refs/heads/prev $COMMIT2
+	EOF
+
 	git push parent1 :prev &&
-	diff expected actual
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-cat >expected <<EOF
-repo1
-repo1
-HEAD $COMMIT3 refs/heads/other $ZERO_OID
-EOF
-
 test_expect_success 'push to URL' '
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	repo1
+	repo1
+	HEAD $COMMIT3 refs/heads/other $ZERO_OID
+	EOF
+
 	git push repo1 HEAD &&
-	diff expected actual
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'set up many-ref tests' '