diff --git a/t/t7004-tag.sh b/t/t7004-tag.sh
index faf7d97fc4..d918005dd9 100755
--- a/t/t7004-tag.sh
+++ b/t/t7004-tag.sh
@@ -145,9 +145,7 @@ test_expect_success 'listing all tags if one exists should succeed' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'Multiple -l or --list options are equivalent to one -l option' '
-	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
-	mytag
-	EOF
+	git tag -l >expect &&
 	git tag -l -l >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual &&
 	git tag --list --list >actual &&
@@ -157,8 +155,10 @@ test_expect_success 'Multiple -l or --list options are equivalent to one -l opti
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'listing all tags if one exists should output that tag' '
-	test $(git tag -l) = mytag &&
-	test $(git tag) = mytag
+	git tag -l >actual &&
+	test_grep "^mytag$" actual &&
+	git tag >actual &&
+	test_grep "^mytag$" actual
 '
 
 # pattern matching:
@@ -168,11 +168,15 @@ test_expect_success 'listing a tag using a matching pattern should succeed' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'listing a tag with --ignore-case' '
-	test $(git tag -l --ignore-case MYTAG) = mytag
+	echo mytag >expect &&
+	git tag -l --ignore-case MYTAG >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'listing a tag using a matching pattern should output that tag' '
-	test $(git tag -l mytag) = mytag
+	echo mytag >expect &&
+	git tag -l mytag >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'listing tags using a non-matching pattern should succeed' '
@@ -191,15 +195,14 @@ test_expect_success 'trying to create a tag with the name of one existing should
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'trying to create a tag with a non-valid name should fail' '
-	git tag -l >actual &&
-	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	git tag -l >tags-before &&
 	test_must_fail git tag "" &&
 	test_must_fail git tag .othertag &&
 	test_must_fail git tag "other tag" &&
 	test_must_fail git tag "othertag^" &&
 	test_must_fail git tag "other~tag" &&
-	git tag -l >actual &&
-	test_line_count = 1 actual
+	git tag -l >tags-after &&
+	test_cmp tags-before tags-after
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'creating a tag using HEAD directly should succeed' '
@@ -227,12 +230,7 @@ test_expect_success 'trying to delete an unknown tag should fail' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'trying to delete tags without params should succeed and do nothing' '
-	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
-	myhead
-	mytag
-	EOF
-	git tag -l >actual &&
-	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	git tag -l >expect &&
 	git tag -d &&
 	git tag -l >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
@@ -438,8 +436,12 @@ test_expect_success 'listing tags -n in column with column.ui ignored' '
 
 test_expect_success 'a non-annotated tag created without parameters should point to HEAD' '
 	git tag non-annotated-tag &&
-	test $(git cat-file -t non-annotated-tag) = commit &&
-	test $(git rev-parse non-annotated-tag) = $(git rev-parse HEAD)
+	echo commit >expect &&
+	git cat-file -t non-annotated-tag >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	git rev-parse HEAD >expect &&
+	git rev-parse non-annotated-tag >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'trying to verify an unknown tag should fail' '
@@ -1528,11 +1530,11 @@ test_expect_success GPG 'verify signed tag fails when public key is not present'
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git tag -a fails if tag annotation is empty' '
-	! (GIT_EDITOR=cat git tag -a initial-comment)
+	test_must_fail env GIT_EDITOR=cat git tag -a initial-comment
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'message in editor has initial comment' '
-	! (GIT_EDITOR=cat git tag -a initial-comment >actual)
+	test_must_fail env GIT_EDITOR=cat git tag -a initial-comment >actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'message in editor has initial comment: first line' '