diff --git a/t/t9200-git-cvsexportcommit.sh b/t/t9200-git-cvsexportcommit.sh
index 69934b2e775..3fb33689036 100755
--- a/t/t9200-git-cvsexportcommit.sh
+++ b/t/t9200-git-cvsexportcommit.sh
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ GIT_DIR=$PWD/.git
 export CVSROOT CVSWORK GIT_DIR
 
 rm -rf "$CVSROOT" "$CVSWORK"
-mkdir "$CVSROOT" &&
+
 cvs init &&
+test -d "$CVSROOT" &&
 cvs -Q co -d "$CVSWORK" . &&
 echo >empty &&
 git add empty &&