diff --git a/tests-clar/checkout/index.c b/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
index 6dfa95dd3..33506a669 100644
--- a/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
+++ b/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ void test_checkout_index__issue_1397(void)
 
 	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	set_core_autocrlf_to(true);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(g_repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_FORCE;
 
diff --git a/tests-clar/checkout/tree.c b/tests-clar/checkout/tree.c
index 0f0ac6982..2a8fbc457 100644
--- a/tests-clar/checkout/tree.c
+++ b/tests-clar/checkout/tree.c
@@ -485,33 +485,22 @@ void test_checkout_tree__can_checkout_with_last_workdir_item_missing(void)
 void test_checkout_tree__issue_1397(void)
 {
 	git_checkout_opts opts = GIT_CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
-	git_config *cfg;
 	const char *partial_oid = "8a7ef04";
-	size_t len = strlen(partial_oid);
-	git_oid oid;
-	git_object *obj = NULL;
-	git_tree *tree = NULL;
+	git_object *tree = NULL;
+
+	test_checkout_tree__cleanup(); /* cleanup default checkout */
 
 	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&cfg, g_repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(cfg, "core.autocrlf", true));
-	git_config_free(cfg);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(g_repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
-	if (git_oid_fromstrn(&oid, partial_oid, len) == 0)
-		git_object_lookup_prefix(&obj, g_repo, &oid, len, GIT_OBJ_ANY);
-	cl_assert(obj);
-	cl_assert(git_object_type(obj) == GIT_OBJ_COMMIT);
-	cl_git_pass(git_commit_tree(&tree, (git_commit *)obj));
-	git_object_free(obj);
+	cl_git_pass(git_revparse_single(&tree, g_repo, partial_oid));
 
 	opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_FORCE;
 
-	cl_assert(tree != NULL);
-
-	git_checkout_tree(g_repo, (git_object *)tree, &opts);
+	cl_git_pass(git_checkout_tree(g_repo, tree, &opts));
 
 	test_file_contents("./issue_1397/crlf_file.txt", "first line\r\nsecond line\r\nboth with crlf");
 
-	git_tree_free(tree);
+	git_object_free(tree);
 }
diff --git a/tests-clar/diff/tree.c b/tests-clar/diff/tree.c
index 06e649979..850feefde 100644
--- a/tests-clar/diff/tree.c
+++ b/tests-clar/diff/tree.c
@@ -434,13 +434,11 @@ void test_diff_tree__regular_blob_mode_changed_to_executable_file(void)
 
 void test_diff_tree__issue_1397(void)
 {
-	// this test shows, that it is not needed
-	git_config *cfg;
+	/* this test shows that it is not needed */
+
 	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&cfg, g_repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(cfg, "core.autocrlf", true));
-	git_config_free(cfg);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(g_repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	cl_assert((a = resolve_commit_oid_to_tree(g_repo, "8a7ef04")) != NULL);
 	cl_assert((b = resolve_commit_oid_to_tree(g_repo, "7f483a7")) != NULL);
diff --git a/tests-clar/diff/workdir.c b/tests-clar/diff/workdir.c
index 7e66671b2..f67f09ae8 100644
--- a/tests-clar/diff/workdir.c
+++ b/tests-clar/diff/workdir.c
@@ -1085,112 +1085,66 @@ void test_diff_workdir__can_diff_empty_file(void)
 	git_diff_list_free(diff);
 }
 
-static void set_config_entry_to(const char *entry_name, bool value)
-{
-	git_config *cfg;
-
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&cfg, g_repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(cfg, entry_name, value));
-
-	git_config_free(cfg);
-}
-
-static void set_core_autocrlf_to(bool value)
-{
-	set_config_entry_to("core.autocrlf", value);
-}
-
 void test_diff_workdir__to_index_issue_1397(void)
 {
 	git_diff_options opts = GIT_DIFF_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	git_diff_list *diff = NULL;
 	diff_expects exp;
-	int use_iterator;
 
 	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	set_core_autocrlf_to(true);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(g_repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	opts.context_lines = 3;
 	opts.interhunk_lines = 1;
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_index_to_workdir(&diff, g_repo, NULL, &opts));
 
-	for (use_iterator = 0; use_iterator <= 1; use_iterator++) {
-		memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
+		diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
 
-		if (use_iterator)
-			cl_git_pass(diff_foreach_via_iterator(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-		else
-			cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_ADDED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_DELETED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_MODIFIED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_IGNORED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_UNTRACKED]);
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.hunks);
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.lines);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_ctxt);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_adds);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_dels);
-	}
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.hunks);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.lines);
 
 	git_diff_list_free(diff);
 	diff = NULL;
-	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
 
-	cl_git_rewritefile("issue_1397/crlf_file.txt", "first line\r\nsecond line modified\r\nboth with crlf");
+	cl_git_rewritefile("issue_1397/crlf_file.txt",
+		"first line\r\nsecond line modified\r\nboth with crlf");
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_index_to_workdir(&diff, g_repo, NULL, &opts));
 
-	for (use_iterator = 0; use_iterator <= 1; use_iterator++) {
-		memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
+		diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
 
-		if (use_iterator)
-			cl_git_pass(diff_foreach_via_iterator(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-		else
-			cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.files);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_MODIFIED]);
 
-		cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.files);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_ADDED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_DELETED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_MODIFIED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_IGNORED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_UNTRACKED]);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.hunks);
 
-		cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.hunks);
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(5, exp.lines);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(3, exp.line_ctxt);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.line_adds);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.line_dels);
-	}
+	cl_assert_equal_i(5, exp.lines);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(3, exp.line_ctxt);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.line_adds);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, exp.line_dels);
 
 	git_diff_list_free(diff);
 }
 
 void test_diff_workdir__to_tree_issue_1397(void)
 {
-	/* grabbed a couple of commit oids from the history of the attr repo */
-	const char *a_commit = "51883ad"; /* the current HEAD */
+	const char *a_commit = "7f483a738"; /* the current HEAD */
 	git_tree *a;
 	git_diff_options opts = GIT_DIFF_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	git_diff_list *diff = NULL;
 	git_diff_list *diff2 = NULL;
 	diff_expects exp;
-	int use_iterator;
 
 	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	set_core_autocrlf_to(true);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(g_repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	a = resolve_commit_oid_to_tree(g_repo, a_commit);
 
@@ -1199,66 +1153,29 @@ void test_diff_workdir__to_tree_issue_1397(void)
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_tree_to_workdir(&diff, g_repo, a, &opts));
 
-	for (use_iterator = 0; use_iterator <= 1; use_iterator++) {
-		memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
+		diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
 
-		if (use_iterator)
-			cl_git_pass(diff_foreach_via_iterator(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-		else
-			cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_ADDED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_DELETED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_MODIFIED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_IGNORED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_UNTRACKED]);
-	}
-
-	/* Since there is no git diff equivalent, let's just assume that the
-	 * text diffs produced by git_diff_foreach are accurate here.  We will
-	 * do more apples-to-apples test comparison below.
-	 */
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.hunks);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.lines);
 
 	git_diff_list_free(diff);
 	diff = NULL;
-	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
 
-	/* This is a compatible emulation of "git diff <sha>" which looks like
-	 * a workdir to tree diff (even though it is not really).  This is what
-	 * you would get from "git diff --name-status 26a125ee1bf"
-	 */
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_tree_to_index(&diff, g_repo, a, NULL, &opts));
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_index_to_workdir(&diff2, g_repo, NULL, &opts));
 	cl_git_pass(git_diff_merge(diff, diff2));
 	git_diff_list_free(diff2);
 
-	for (use_iterator = 0; use_iterator <= 1; use_iterator++) {
-		memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	memset(&exp, 0, sizeof(exp));
+	cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
+		diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
 
-		if (use_iterator)
-			cl_git_pass(diff_foreach_via_iterator(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-		else
-			cl_git_pass(git_diff_foreach(
-				diff, diff_file_cb, diff_hunk_cb, diff_line_cb, &exp));
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_ADDED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_DELETED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_MODIFIED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_IGNORED]);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.file_status[GIT_DELTA_UNTRACKED]);
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.hunks);
-
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.lines);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_ctxt);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_adds);
-		cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.line_dels);
-	}
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.files);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.hunks);
+	cl_assert_equal_i(0, exp.lines);
 
 	git_diff_list_free(diff);
 	git_tree_free(a);
diff --git a/tests-clar/index/tests.c b/tests-clar/index/tests.c
index 49defd03f..88e374e6e 100644
--- a/tests-clar/index/tests.c
+++ b/tests-clar/index/tests.c
@@ -251,21 +251,24 @@ void test_index_tests__add(void)
 	git_repository_free(repo);
 }
 
+static void cleanup_1397(void *opaque)
+{
+	GIT_UNUSED(opaque);
+	cl_git_sandbox_cleanup();
+}
+
 void test_index_tests__add_issue_1397(void)
 {
 	git_index *index;
-	git_config *cfg;
 	git_repository *repo;
 	const git_index_entry *entry;
 	git_oid id1;
 
-	cl_set_cleanup(&cleanup_myrepo, NULL);
+	cl_set_cleanup(&cleanup_1397, NULL);
 
 	repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&cfg, repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(cfg, "core.autocrlf", true));
-	git_config_free(cfg);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	/* Ensure we're the only guy in the room */
 	cl_git_pass(git_repository_index(&index, repo));
@@ -278,17 +281,16 @@ void test_index_tests__add_issue_1397(void)
 
 	/* Make sure the initial SHA-1 is correct */
 	cl_assert((entry = git_index_get_bypath(index, "crlf_file.txt", 0)) != NULL);
-	cl_assert(git_oid_cmp(&id1, &entry->oid) == 0);
+	cl_assert_(git_oid_cmp(&id1, &entry->oid) == 0, "first oid check");
 
 	/* Update the index */
 	cl_git_pass(git_index_add_bypath(index, "crlf_file.txt"));
 
 	/* Check the new SHA-1 */
 	cl_assert((entry = git_index_get_bypath(index, "crlf_file.txt", 0)) != NULL);
-	cl_assert(git_oid_cmp(&id1, &entry->oid) == 0);
+	cl_assert_(git_oid_cmp(&id1, &entry->oid) == 0, "second oid check");
 
 	git_index_free(index);
-	git_repository_free(repo);
 }
 
 void test_index_tests__add_bypath_to_a_bare_repository_returns_EBAREPO(void)
diff --git a/tests-clar/status/worktree.c b/tests-clar/status/worktree.c
index 61f0982cd..a9b8a12ed 100644
--- a/tests-clar/status/worktree.c
+++ b/tests-clar/status/worktree.c
@@ -544,12 +544,9 @@ void test_status_worktree__line_endings_dont_count_as_changes_with_autocrlf(void
 void test_status_worktree__line_endings_dont_count_as_changes_with_autocrlf_issue_1397(void)
 {
 	git_repository *repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("issue_1397");
-	git_config *config;
 	unsigned int status;
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&config, repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(config, "core.autocrlf", true));
-	git_config_free(config);
+	cl_repo_set_bool(repo, "core.autocrlf", true);
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_status_file(&status, repo, "crlf_file.txt"));