diff --git a/src/checkout.c b/src/checkout.c
index ec9da7e2e..aae354ca6 100644
--- a/src/checkout.c
+++ b/src/checkout.c
@@ -693,17 +693,14 @@ static int buffer_to_file(
 			buffer, path, file_open_flags, file_mode)) < 0)
 		return error;
 
-	if (st != NULL && (error = p_stat(path, st)) < 0) {
-		giterr_set(GITERR_OS, "Error while statting '%s'", path);
-		return error;
-	}
+	if (st != NULL && (error = p_stat(path, st)) < 0)
+		giterr_set(GITERR_OS, "Error statting '%s'", path);
 
-	if ((file_mode & 0100) != 0 && (error = p_chmod(path, file_mode)) < 0) {
+	else if (GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(file_mode) &&
+			(error = p_chmod(path, file_mode)) < 0)
 		giterr_set(GITERR_OS, "Failed to set permissions on '%s'", path);
-		return error;
-	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return error;
 }
 
 static int blob_content_to_file(
diff --git a/src/diff_print.c b/src/diff_print.c
index 4ddd72443..ee4b5fc17 100644
--- a/src/diff_print.c
+++ b/src/diff_print.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "common.h"
 #include "diff.h"
 #include "diff_patch.h"
-#include "buffer.h"
+#include "fileops.h"
 
 typedef struct {
 	git_diff_list *diff;
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static char diff_pick_suffix(int mode)
 {
 	if (S_ISDIR(mode))
 		return '/';
-	else if (mode & 0100) /* -V536 */
+	else if (GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(mode)) /* -V536 */
 		/* in git, modes are very regular, so we must have 0100755 mode */
 		return '*';
 	else
diff --git a/src/fileops.c b/src/fileops.c
index 76119e02e..92cda82e7 100644
--- a/src/fileops.c
+++ b/src/fileops.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ git_off_t git_futils_filesize(git_file fd)
 mode_t git_futils_canonical_mode(mode_t raw_mode)
 {
 	if (S_ISREG(raw_mode))
-		return S_IFREG | GIT_CANONICAL_PERMS(raw_mode);
+		return S_IFREG | GIT_PERMS_CANONICAL(raw_mode);
 	else if (S_ISLNK(raw_mode))
 		return S_IFLNK;
 	else if (S_ISGITLINK(raw_mode))
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ static int _cp_r_callback(void *ref, git_buf *from)
 		mode_t usemode = from_st.st_mode;
 
 		if ((info->flags & GIT_CPDIR_SIMPLE_TO_MODE) != 0)
-			usemode = (usemode & 0111) ? 0777 : 0666;
+			usemode = GIT_PERMS_FOR_WRITE(usemode);
 
 		error = git_futils_cp(from->ptr, info->to.ptr, usemode);
 	}
diff --git a/src/fileops.h b/src/fileops.h
index 5adedfc57..02f79b9e7 100644
--- a/src/fileops.h
+++ b/src/fileops.h
@@ -223,9 +223,13 @@ extern int git_futils_open_ro(const char *path);
  */
 extern git_off_t git_futils_filesize(git_file fd);
 
+#define GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(MODE)		(((MODE) & 0111) != 0)
+#define GIT_PERMS_CANONICAL(MODE)	(GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(MODE) ? 0755 : 0644)
+#define GIT_PERMS_FOR_WRITE(MODE)   (GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(MODE) ? 0777 : 0666)
+
 #define GIT_MODE_PERMS_MASK			0777
-#define GIT_CANONICAL_PERMS(MODE)	(((MODE) & 0100) ? 0755 : 0644)
-#define GIT_MODE_TYPE(MODE)			((MODE) & ~GIT_MODE_PERMS_MASK)
+#define GIT_MODE_TYPE_MASK			0170000
+#define GIT_MODE_TYPE(MODE)			((MODE) & GIT_MODE_TYPE_MASK)
 #define GIT_MODE_ISBLOB(MODE)		(GIT_MODE_TYPE(MODE) == GIT_MODE_TYPE(GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB))
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/index.c b/src/index.c
index 17e43903f..9b32222a7 100644
--- a/src/index.c
+++ b/src/index.c
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ static unsigned int index_create_mode(unsigned int mode)
 	if (S_ISDIR(mode) || (mode & S_IFMT) == (S_IFLNK | S_IFDIR))
 		return (S_IFLNK | S_IFDIR);
 
-	return S_IFREG | ((mode & 0100) ? 0755 : 0644);
+	return S_IFREG | GIT_PERMS_CANONICAL(mode);
 }
 
 static unsigned int index_merge_mode(
diff --git a/src/tree.c b/src/tree.c
index 65d01b4d5..f9469195a 100644
--- a/src/tree.c
+++ b/src/tree.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "tree.h"
 #include "git2/repository.h"
 #include "git2/object.h"
-#include "path.h"
+#include "fileops.h"
 #include "tree-cache.h"
 #include "index.h"
 
@@ -29,19 +29,19 @@ static bool valid_filemode(const int filemode)
 GIT_INLINE(git_filemode_t) normalize_filemode(git_filemode_t filemode)
 {
 	/* Tree bits set, but it's not a commit */
-	if (filemode & GIT_FILEMODE_TREE && !(filemode & 0100000))
+	if (GIT_MODE_TYPE(filemode) == GIT_FILEMODE_TREE)
 		return GIT_FILEMODE_TREE;
 
-	/* If any of the x bits is set */
-	if (filemode & 0111)
+	/* If any of the x bits are set */
+	if (GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(filemode))
 		return GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB_EXECUTABLE;
 
 	/* 16XXXX means commit */
-	if ((filemode & GIT_FILEMODE_COMMIT) == GIT_FILEMODE_COMMIT)
+	if (GIT_MODE_TYPE(filemode) == GIT_FILEMODE_COMMIT)
 		return GIT_FILEMODE_COMMIT;
 
 	/* 12XXXX means commit */
-	if ((filemode & GIT_FILEMODE_LINK) == GIT_FILEMODE_LINK)
+	if (GIT_MODE_TYPE(filemode) == GIT_FILEMODE_LINK)
 		return GIT_FILEMODE_LINK;
 
 	/* Otherwise, return a blob */
diff --git a/tests-clar/checkout/checkout_helpers.c b/tests-clar/checkout/checkout_helpers.c
index 8da024dda..f55f7b611 100644
--- a/tests-clar/checkout/checkout_helpers.c
+++ b/tests-clar/checkout/checkout_helpers.c
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ static void check_file_contents_internal(
 	if (strip_cr)
 		strip_cr_from_buf(&buf);
 
-	clar__assert_equal_i((int)expected_len, (int)buf.size, file, line, "strlen(expected_content) != strlen(actual_content)", 1);
-	clar__assert_equal_s(expected_content, buf.ptr, file, line, msg, 1);
+	clar__assert_equal(file, line, "strlen(expected_content) != strlen(actual_content)", 1, PRIuZ, expected_len, (size_t)buf.size);
+	clar__assert_equal(file, line, msg, 1, "%s", expected_content, buf.ptr);
 }
 
 void check_file_contents_at_line(
diff --git a/tests-clar/checkout/index.c b/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
index 982bf9ee5..73050d08e 100644
--- a/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
+++ b/tests-clar/checkout/index.c
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ void test_checkout_index__options_dir_modes(void)
 	struct stat st;
 	git_oid oid;
 	git_commit *commit;
+	mode_t um;
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_reference_name_to_id(&oid, g_repo, "refs/heads/dir"));
 	cl_git_pass(git_commit_lookup(&commit, g_repo, &oid));
@@ -240,12 +241,15 @@ void test_checkout_index__options_dir_modes(void)
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_checkout_index(g_repo, NULL, &opts));
 
+	/* umask will influence actual directory creation mode */
+	(void)p_umask(um = p_umask(022));
+
 	cl_git_pass(p_stat("./testrepo/a", &st));
-	cl_assert_equal_i(st.st_mode & 0777, 0701);
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(st.st_mode, (GIT_FILEMODE_TREE | 0701) & ~um, "%07o");
 
 	/* File-mode test, since we're on the 'dir' branch */
 	cl_git_pass(p_stat("./testrepo/a/b.txt", &st));
-	cl_assert_equal_i(st.st_mode & 0777, 0755);
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(st.st_mode, GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB_EXECUTABLE, "%07o");
 
 	git_commit_free(commit);
 #endif
@@ -263,7 +267,7 @@ void test_checkout_index__options_override_file_modes(void)
 	cl_git_pass(git_checkout_index(g_repo, NULL, &opts));
 
 	cl_git_pass(p_stat("./testrepo/new.txt", &st));
-	cl_assert_equal_i(st.st_mode & 0777, 0700);
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(st.st_mode & GIT_MODE_PERMS_MASK, 0700, "%07o");
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/tests-clar/clar.c b/tests-clar/clar.c
index 585af8a74..5189e7919 100644
--- a/tests-clar/clar.c
+++ b/tests-clar/clar.c
@@ -24,28 +24,59 @@
 
 #	define _MAIN_CC __cdecl
 
-#	define stat(path, st) _stat(path, st)
-#	define mkdir(path, mode) _mkdir(path)
-#	define chdir(path) _chdir(path)
-#	define access(path, mode) _access(path, mode)
-#	define strdup(str) _strdup(str)
-#	define strcasecmp(a,b) _stricmp(a,b)
+#	ifndef stat
+#		define stat(path, st) _stat(path, st)
+#	endif
+#	ifndef mkdir
+#		define mkdir(path, mode) _mkdir(path)
+#	endif
+#	ifndef chdir
+#		define chdir(path) _chdir(path)
+#	endif
+#	ifndef access
+#		define access(path, mode) _access(path, mode)
+#	endif
+#	ifndef strdup
+#		define strdup(str) _strdup(str)
+#	endif
+#	ifndef strcasecmp
+#		define strcasecmp(a,b) _stricmp(a,b)
+#	endif
 
 #	ifndef __MINGW32__
 #		pragma comment(lib, "shell32")
-#		define strncpy(to, from, to_size) strncpy_s(to, to_size, from, _TRUNCATE)
-#		define W_OK 02
-#		define S_ISDIR(x) ((x & _S_IFDIR) != 0)
-#		define snprint_eq(buf,sz,fmt,...) _snprintf_s(buf,sz,_TRUNCATE,fmt,__VA_ARGS__)
+#		ifndef strncpy
+#			define strncpy(to, from, to_size) strncpy_s(to, to_size, from, _TRUNCATE)
+#		endif
+#		ifndef W_OK
+#			define W_OK 02
+#		endif
+#		ifndef S_ISDIR
+#			define S_ISDIR(x) ((x & _S_IFDIR) != 0)
+#		endif
+#		define p_snprintf(buf,sz,fmt,...) _snprintf_s(buf,sz,_TRUNCATE,fmt,__VA_ARGS__)
 #	else
-#		define snprint_eq snprintf
+#		define p_snprintf snprintf
+#	endif
+
+#	ifndef PRIuZ
+#		define PRIuZ "Iu"
+#	endif
+#	ifndef PRIxZ
+#		define PRIxZ "Ix"
 #	endif
 	typedef struct _stat STAT_T;
 #else
 #	include <sys/wait.h> /* waitpid(2) */
 #	include <unistd.h>
 #	define _MAIN_CC
-#	define snprint_eq snprintf
+#	define p_snprintf snprintf
+#	ifndef PRIuZ
+#		define PRIuZ "zu"
+#	endif
+#	ifndef PRIxZ
+#		define PRIxZ "zx"
+#	endif
 	typedef struct stat STAT_T;
 #endif
 
@@ -406,45 +437,66 @@ void clar__assert(
 	clar__fail(file, line, error_msg, description, should_abort);
 }
 
-void clar__assert_equal_s(
-	const char *s1,
-	const char *s2,
+void clar__assert_equal(
 	const char *file,
 	int line,
 	const char *err,
-	int should_abort)
+	int should_abort,
+	const char *fmt,
+	...)
 {
-	int match = (s1 == NULL || s2 == NULL) ? (s1 == s2) : (strcmp(s1, s2) == 0);
+	va_list args;
+	char buf[4096];
+	int is_equal = 1;
 
-	if (!match) {
-		char buf[4096];
+	va_start(args, fmt);
 
-		if (s1 && s2) {
-			int pos;
-			for (pos = 0; s1[pos] == s2[pos] && s1[pos] && s2[pos]; ++pos)
-				/* find differing byte offset */;
-			snprint_eq(buf, sizeof(buf), "'%s' != '%s' (at byte %d)", s1, s2, pos);
-		} else {
-			snprint_eq(buf, sizeof(buf), "'%s' != '%s'", s1, s2);
+	if (!strcmp("%s", fmt)) {
+		const char *s1 = va_arg(args, const char *);
+		const char *s2 = va_arg(args, const char *);
+		is_equal = (!s1 || !s2) ? (s1 == s2) : !strcmp(s1, s2);
+
+		if (!is_equal) {
+			if (s1 && s2) {
+				int pos;
+				for (pos = 0; s1[pos] == s2[pos] && s1[pos] && s2[pos]; ++pos)
+					/* find differing byte offset */;
+				p_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "'%s' != '%s' (at byte %d)",
+					s1, s2, pos);
+			} else {
+				p_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "'%s' != '%s'", s1, s2);
+			}
 		}
-
-		clar__fail(file, line, err, buf, should_abort);
 	}
-}
-
-void clar__assert_equal_i(
-	int i1,
-	int i2,
-	const char *file,
-	int line,
-	const char *err,
-	int should_abort)
-{
-	if (i1 != i2) {
-		char buf[128];
-		snprint_eq(buf, sizeof(buf), "%d != %d", i1, i2);
-		clar__fail(file, line, err, buf, should_abort);
+	else if (!strcmp(PRIuZ, fmt) || !strcmp(PRIxZ, fmt)) {
+		size_t sz1 = va_arg(args, size_t), sz2 = va_arg(args, size_t);
+		is_equal = (sz1 == sz2);
+		if (!is_equal) {
+			int offset = p_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, sz1);
+			strncat(buf, " != ", sizeof(buf) - offset);
+			p_snprintf(buf + offset + 4, sizeof(buf) - offset - 4, fmt, sz2);
+		}
 	}
+	else if (!strcmp("%p", fmt)) {
+		void *p1 = va_arg(args, void *), *p2 = va_arg(args, void *);
+		is_equal = (p1 == p2);
+		if (!is_equal)
+			p_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%p != %p", p1, p2);
+	}
+	else {
+		int i1 = va_arg(args, int), i2 = va_arg(args, int);
+		is_equal = (i1 == i2);
+		if (!is_equal) {
+			int offset = p_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, i1);
+			strncat(buf, " != ", sizeof(buf) - offset);
+			p_snprintf(buf + offset + 4, sizeof(buf) - offset - 4, fmt, i2);
+		}
+	}
+
+	va_end(args);
+
+	if (!is_equal)
+		clar__fail(file, line, err, buf, should_abort);
 }
 
 void cl_set_cleanup(void (*cleanup)(void *), void *opaque)
diff --git a/tests-clar/clar.h b/tests-clar/clar.h
index d92318bd4..e1f244eba 100644
--- a/tests-clar/clar.h
+++ b/tests-clar/clar.h
@@ -57,15 +57,17 @@ void cl_fixture_cleanup(const char *fixture_name);
 /**
  * Typed assertion macros
  */
-#define cl_assert_equal_s(s1,s2) clar__assert_equal_s((s1),(s2),__FILE__,__LINE__,"String mismatch: " #s1 " != " #s2, 1)
-#define cl_assert_equal_s_(s1,s2,note) clar__assert_equal_s((s1),(s2),__FILE__,__LINE__,"String mismatch: " #s1 " != " #s2 " (" #note ")", 1)
+#define cl_assert_equal_s(s1,s2) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,"String mismatch: " #s1 " != " #s2, 1, "%s", (s1), (s2))
+#define cl_assert_equal_s_(s1,s2,note) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,"String mismatch: " #s1 " != " #s2 " (" #note ")", 1, "%s", (s1), (s2))
 
-#define cl_assert_equal_i(i1,i2) clar__assert_equal_i((i1),(i2),__FILE__,__LINE__,#i1 " != " #i2, 1)
-#define cl_assert_equal_i_(i1,i2,note) clar__assert_equal_i((i1),(i2),__FILE__,__LINE__,#i1 " != " #i2 " (" #note ")", 1)
+#define cl_assert_equal_i(i1,i2) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,#i1 " != " #i2, 1, "%d", (int)(i1), (int)(i2))
+#define cl_assert_equal_i_(i1,i2,note) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,#i1 " != " #i2 " (" #note ")", 1, "%d", (i1), (i2))
+#define cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(i1,i2,fmt) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,#i1 " != " #i2, 1, (fmt), (int)(i1), (int)(i2))
 
-#define cl_assert_equal_b(b1,b2) clar__assert_equal_i(!!(b1),!!(b2),__FILE__,__LINE__,#b1 " != " #b2, 1)
+#define cl_assert_equal_b(b1,b2) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,#b1 " != " #b2, 1, "%d", (int)((b1) != 0),(int)((b2) != 0))
+
+#define cl_assert_equal_p(p1,p2) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,"Pointer mismatch: " #p1 " != " #p2, 1, "%p", (p1), (p2))
 
-#define cl_assert_equal_p(p1,p2) cl_assert((p1) == (p2))
 
 void clar__fail(
 	const char *file,
@@ -82,7 +84,12 @@ void clar__assert(
 	const char *description,
 	int should_abort);
 
-void clar__assert_equal_s(const char *,const char *,const char *,int,const char *,int);
-void clar__assert_equal_i(int,int,const char *,int,const char *,int);
+void clar__assert_equal(
+	const char *file,
+	int line,
+	const char *err,
+	int should_abort,
+	const char *fmt,
+	...);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tests-clar/clar/sandbox.h b/tests-clar/clar/sandbox.h
index 1ca6fcae8..ee7564148 100644
--- a/tests-clar/clar/sandbox.h
+++ b/tests-clar/clar/sandbox.h
@@ -43,10 +43,8 @@ find_tmp_path(char *buffer, size_t length)
 	}
 
 #else
-	DWORD env_len;
-
-	if ((env_len = GetEnvironmentVariable("CLAR_TMP", buffer, length)) > 0 &&
-		env_len < length)
+	DWORD env_len = GetEnvironmentVariable("CLAR_TMP", buffer, (DWORD)length);
+	if (env_len > 0 && env_len < (DWORD)length)
 		return 0;
 
 	if (GetTempPath((DWORD)length, buffer))
diff --git a/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.c b/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.c
index bf35a68eb..340943ca8 100644
--- a/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.c
+++ b/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.c
@@ -344,3 +344,13 @@ void cl_repo_set_bool(git_repository *repo, const char *cfg, int value)
 	cl_git_pass(git_config_set_bool(config, cfg, value != 0));
 	git_config_free(config);
 }
+
+int cl_repo_get_bool(git_repository *repo, const char *cfg)
+{
+	int val = 0;
+	git_config *config;
+	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&config, repo));
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_bool(&val, config, cfg));;
+	git_config_free(config);
+	return val;
+}
diff --git a/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.h b/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.h
index 8c8357e40..3cb0607f1 100644
--- a/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.h
+++ b/tests-clar/clar_libgit2.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void cl_git_report_failure(int, const char *, int, const char *);
 #define cl_assert_at_line(expr,file,line) \
 	clar__assert((expr) != 0, file, line, "Expression is not true: " #expr, NULL, 1)
 
-#define cl_assert_equal_sz(sz1,sz2) cl_assert_equal_i((int)sz1, (int)(sz2))
+#define cl_assert_equal_sz(sz1,sz2) clar__assert_equal(__FILE__,__LINE__,#sz1 " != " #sz2, 1, PRIuZ, (size_t)(sz1), (size_t)(sz2))
 
 GIT_INLINE(void) clar__assert_in_range(
 	int lo, int val, int hi,
@@ -88,5 +88,6 @@ int cl_git_remove_placeholders(const char *directory_path, const char *filename)
 
 /* config setting helpers */
 void cl_repo_set_bool(git_repository *repo, const char *cfg, int value);
+int cl_repo_get_bool(git_repository *repo, const char *cfg);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tests-clar/core/mkdir.c b/tests-clar/core/mkdir.c
index 1e50b4336..a969e4de2 100644
--- a/tests-clar/core/mkdir.c
+++ b/tests-clar/core/mkdir.c
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ static void check_mode(mode_t expected, mode_t actual)
 {
 #ifdef GIT_WIN32
 	/* chmod on Win32 doesn't support exec bit, not group/world bits */
-	cl_assert((expected & 0600) == (actual & 0777));
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt((expected & 0600), (actual & 0777), "%07o");
 #else
-	cl_assert(expected == (actual & 0777));
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(expected, (actual & 0777), "%07o");
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/tests-clar/diff/rename.c b/tests-clar/diff/rename.c
index ac3814d59..b5a9935fd 100644
--- a/tests-clar/diff/rename.c
+++ b/tests-clar/diff/rename.c
@@ -1100,7 +1100,6 @@ void test_diff_rename__can_rename_from_rewrite(void)
 {
 	git_index *index;
 	git_tree *tree;
-	git_checkout_opts opts = GIT_CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
 	git_diff_list *diff;
 	git_diff_options diffopts = GIT_DIFF_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	git_diff_find_options findopts = GIT_DIFF_FIND_OPTIONS_INIT;
@@ -1110,8 +1109,6 @@ void test_diff_rename__can_rename_from_rewrite(void)
 	const char *targets[] = { "songof7cities.txt", "this-is-a-rename.txt" };
 	struct rename_expected expect = { 2, status, sources, targets };
 
-	opts.checkout_strategy = GIT_CHECKOUT_FORCE;
-
 	cl_git_pass(git_repository_index(&index, g_repo));
 
 	cl_git_pass(p_rename("renames/songof7cities.txt", "renames/this-is-a-rename.txt"));
diff --git a/tests-clar/diff/submodules.c b/tests-clar/diff/submodules.c
index 94804db22..9dcf8194e 100644
--- a/tests-clar/diff/submodules.c
+++ b/tests-clar/diff/submodules.c
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ static void check_diff_patches_at_line(
 
 		cl_git_pass(git_diff_patch_to_str(&patch_text, patch));
 
-		clar__assert_equal_s(expected[d], patch_text, file, line,
-			"expected diff did not match actual diff", 1);
+		clar__assert_equal(
+			file, line, "expected diff did not match actual diff", 1,
+			"%s", expected[d], patch_text);
 		git__free(patch_text);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests-clar/index/addall.c b/tests-clar/index/addall.c
index fca6e77fa..00388ee00 100644
--- a/tests-clar/index/addall.c
+++ b/tests-clar/index/addall.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "clar_libgit2.h"
 #include "../status/status_helpers.h"
 #include "posix.h"
+#include "fileops.h"
 
 git_repository *g_repo = NULL;
 
@@ -108,8 +109,10 @@ static void check_stat_data(git_index *index, const char *path, bool match)
 		cl_assert(st.st_size == entry->file_size);
 		cl_assert(st.st_uid  == entry->uid);
 		cl_assert(st.st_gid  == entry->gid);
-		cl_assert_equal_b(st.st_mode & ~0777, entry->mode & ~0777);
-		cl_assert_equal_b(st.st_mode &  0111, entry->mode &  0111);
+		cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(
+			GIT_MODE_TYPE(st.st_mode), GIT_MODE_TYPE(entry->mode), "%07o");
+		cl_assert_equal_b(
+			GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(st.st_mode), GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(entry->mode));
 	} else {
 		/* most things will still match */
 		cl_assert(st.st_size != entry->file_size);
diff --git a/tests-clar/odb/backend/nonrefreshing.c b/tests-clar/odb/backend/nonrefreshing.c
index abb824d4b..9abca2bd3 100644
--- a/tests-clar/odb/backend/nonrefreshing.c
+++ b/tests-clar/odb/backend/nonrefreshing.c
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ static int build_fake_backend(
 
 static void setup_repository_and_backend(git_error_code error_code)
 {
-	git_odb *odb;
-	git_odb_backend *backend;
+	git_odb *odb = NULL;
+	git_odb_backend *backend = NULL;
 
 	_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("testrepo.git");
 
diff --git a/tests-clar/repo/init.c b/tests-clar/repo/init.c
index 5076184b8..e3fc112b3 100644
--- a/tests-clar/repo/init.c
+++ b/tests-clar/repo/init.c
@@ -10,10 +10,17 @@ enum repo_mode {
 };
 
 static git_repository *_repo = NULL;
+static mode_t g_umask = 0;
 
 void test_repo_init__initialize(void)
 {
 	_repo = NULL;
+
+	/* load umask if not already loaded */
+	if (!g_umask) {
+		g_umask = p_umask(022);
+		(void)p_umask(g_umask);
+	}
 }
 
 static void cleanup_repository(void *path)
@@ -263,7 +270,6 @@ void test_repo_init__reinit_doesnot_overwrite_ignorecase(void)
 
 void test_repo_init__reinit_overwrites_filemode(void)
 {
-	git_config *config;
 	int expected, current_value;
 
 #ifdef GIT_WIN32
@@ -284,13 +290,10 @@ void test_repo_init__reinit_overwrites_filemode(void)
 
 	/* Reinit the repository */
 	cl_git_pass(git_repository_init(&_repo, "overwrite.git", 1));
-	git_repository_config(&config, _repo);
 
 	/* Ensure the "core.filemode" config value has been reset */
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_bool(&current_value, config, "core.filemode"));
+	current_value = cl_repo_get_bool(_repo, "core.filemode");
 	cl_assert_equal_i(expected, current_value);
-
-	git_config_free(config);
 }
 
 void test_repo_init__sets_logAllRefUpdates_according_to_type_of_repository(void)
@@ -361,6 +364,8 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_1(void)
 	cl_fixture_cleanup("root");
 }
 
+#define CLEAR_FOR_CORE_FILEMODE(M) ((M) &= ~0177)
+
 static void assert_hooks_match(
 	const char *template_dir,
 	const char *repo_dir,
@@ -377,15 +382,21 @@ static void assert_hooks_match(
 	cl_git_pass(git_buf_joinpath(&actual, repo_dir, hook_path));
 	cl_git_pass(git_path_lstat(actual.ptr, &st));
 
-	cl_assert(expected_st.st_size == st.st_size);
+	cl_assert_equal_sz(expected_st.st_size, st.st_size);
 
-	if (!core_filemode) {
-		expected_st.st_mode = expected_st.st_mode & ~0111;
-		st.st_mode = st.st_mode & ~0111;
+	if (GIT_MODE_TYPE(expected_st.st_mode) != GIT_FILEMODE_LINK) {
+		mode_t expected_mode =
+			GIT_MODE_TYPE(expected_st.st_mode) |
+			(GIT_PERMS_FOR_WRITE(expected_st.st_mode) & ~g_umask);
+
+		if (!core_filemode) {
+			CLEAR_FOR_CORE_FILEMODE(expected_mode);
+			CLEAR_FOR_CORE_FILEMODE(st.st_mode);
+		}
+
+		cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(expected_mode, st.st_mode, "%07o");
 	}
 
-	cl_assert_equal_i((int)expected_st.st_mode, (int)st.st_mode);
-
 	git_buf_free(&expected);
 	git_buf_free(&actual);
 }
@@ -402,24 +413,19 @@ static void assert_mode_seems_okay(
 	git_buf_free(&full);
 
 	if (!core_filemode) {
-		expect_mode = expect_mode & ~0111;
-		st.st_mode = st.st_mode & ~0111;
+		CLEAR_FOR_CORE_FILEMODE(expect_mode);
+		CLEAR_FOR_CORE_FILEMODE(st.st_mode);
 		expect_setgid = false;
 	}
 
-	if (S_ISGID != 0) {
-		if (expect_setgid)
-			cl_assert((st.st_mode & S_ISGID) != 0);
-		else
-			cl_assert((st.st_mode & S_ISGID) == 0);
-	}
+	if (S_ISGID != 0)
+		cl_assert_equal_b(expect_setgid, (st.st_mode & S_ISGID) != 0);
 
-	if ((expect_mode & 0111) != 0)
-		cl_assert((st.st_mode & 0111) != 0);
-	else
-		cl_assert((st.st_mode & 0111) == 0);
+	cl_assert_equal_b(
+		GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(expect_mode), GIT_PERMS_IS_EXEC(st.st_mode));
 
-	cl_assert((expect_mode & 0170000) == (st.st_mode & 0170000));
+	cl_assert_equal_i_fmt(
+		GIT_MODE_TYPE(expect_mode), GIT_MODE_TYPE(st.st_mode), "%07o");
 }
 
 void test_repo_init__extended_with_template(void)
@@ -427,6 +433,7 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_with_template(void)
 	git_buf expected = GIT_BUF_INIT;
 	git_buf actual = GIT_BUF_INIT;
 	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
+	int filemode;
 
 	cl_set_cleanup(&cleanup_repository, "templated.git");
 
@@ -450,13 +457,15 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_with_template(void)
 	git_buf_free(&expected);
 	git_buf_free(&actual);
 
-	assert_hooks_match(
-		cl_fixture("template"), git_repository_path(_repo),
-		"hooks/update.sample", true);
+	filemode = cl_repo_get_bool(_repo, "core.filemode");
 
 	assert_hooks_match(
 		cl_fixture("template"), git_repository_path(_repo),
-		"hooks/link.sample", true);
+		"hooks/update.sample", filemode);
+
+	assert_hooks_match(
+		cl_fixture("template"), git_repository_path(_repo),
+		"hooks/link.sample", filemode);
 }
 
 void test_repo_init__extended_with_template_and_shared_mode(void)
@@ -464,7 +473,6 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_with_template_and_shared_mode(void)
 	git_buf expected = GIT_BUF_INIT;
 	git_buf actual = GIT_BUF_INIT;
 	git_repository_init_options opts = GIT_REPOSITORY_INIT_OPTIONS_INIT;
-	git_config *config;
 	int filemode = true;
 	const char *repo_path = NULL;
 
@@ -480,9 +488,7 @@ void test_repo_init__extended_with_template_and_shared_mode(void)
 	cl_assert(!git_repository_is_bare(_repo));
 	cl_assert(!git__suffixcmp(git_repository_path(_repo), "/init_shared_from_tpl/.git/"));
 
-	cl_git_pass(git_repository_config(&config, _repo));
-	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_bool(&filemode, config, "core.filemode"));
-	git_config_free(config);
+	filemode = cl_repo_get_bool(_repo, "core.filemode");
 
 	cl_git_pass(git_futils_readbuffer(
 		&expected, cl_fixture("template/description")));