diff --git a/t/t4117-apply-reject.sh b/t/t4117-apply-reject.sh
index f7de6f0..0ee93fe 100755
--- a/t/t4117-apply-reject.sh
+++ b/t/t4117-apply-reject.sh
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 	test_must_fail git apply --reject patch.1 &&
 	test_cmp expected file1 &&
 
-	cat file1.rej &&
+	test_path_is_file file1.rej &&
 	test_path_is_missing file2.rej
 '
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 	test_path_is_missing file1 &&
 	test_cmp expected file2 &&
 
-	cat file2.rej &&
+	test_path_is_file file2.rej &&
 	test_path_is_missing file1.rej
 
 '
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
 	test_path_is_missing file1 &&
 	test_cmp expected file2 &&
 
-	cat file2.rej &&
+	test_path_is_file file2.rej &&
 	test_path_is_missing file1.rej
 
 '