diff --git a/t/lib-pager.sh b/t/lib-pager.sh
index 3aa7a3ffd8..e5eb28df4e 100644
--- a/t/lib-pager.sh
+++ b/t/lib-pager.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 test_expect_success 'determine default pager' '
 	test_might_fail git config --unset core.pager &&
 	less=$(
-		unset PAGER GIT_PAGER;
+		sane_unset PAGER GIT_PAGER &&
 		git var GIT_PAGER
 	) &&
 	test -n "$less"