diff --git a/tests/test_workspace_git.py b/tests/test_workspace_git.py
index 9d228300..0d4b7dbf 100644
--- a/tests/test_workspace_git.py
+++ b/tests/test_workspace_git.py
@@ -47,6 +47,20 @@ def _init_repo(path):
     return path
 
 
+def _init_bare_repo(path):
+    init = subprocess.run(
+        ["git", "init", "--bare", "-b", "master", str(path)],
+        shell=False,
+        text=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+        timeout=20,
+    )
+    if init.returncode != 0:
+        _git(path.parent, "init", "--bare", str(path))
+        _git(path, "symbolic-ref", "HEAD", "refs/heads/master")
+    return path
+
+
 def _commit_all(path, message="initial"):
     _git(path, "add", ".")
     _git(path, "commit", "-m", message)
@@ -513,8 +527,7 @@ def test_staged_commit_message_prompt_uses_only_staged_diff(tmp_path):
 def test_git_fetch_pull_and_push_with_upstream(tmp_path):
     from api.workspace_git import git_fetch, git_pull, git_push, git_status
 
-    remote = tmp_path / "remote.git"
-    _git(tmp_path, "init", "--bare", str(remote))
+    remote = _init_bare_repo(tmp_path / "remote.git")
 
     origin = _init_repo(tmp_path / "origin")
     (origin / "tracked.txt").write_text("one\n", encoding="utf-8")
@@ -550,8 +563,7 @@ def test_git_fetch_pull_and_push_with_upstream(tmp_path):
 def test_git_branches_lists_local_remote_and_upstream(tmp_path):
     from api.workspace_git import git_branches
 
-    remote = tmp_path / "remote.git"
-    _git(tmp_path, "init", "--bare", str(remote))
+    remote = _init_bare_repo(tmp_path / "remote.git")
     origin = _init_repo(tmp_path / "origin")
     (origin / "tracked.txt").write_text("one\n", encoding="utf-8")
     _commit_all(origin)
@@ -575,8 +587,7 @@ def test_git_branches_lists_local_remote_and_upstream(tmp_path):
 def test_git_checkout_local_new_remote_dirty_and_invalid_refs(tmp_path):
     from api.workspace_git import GitWorkspaceError, git_branches, git_checkout
 
-    remote = tmp_path / "remote.git"
-    _git(tmp_path, "init", "--bare", str(remote))
+    remote = _init_bare_repo(tmp_path / "remote.git")
     origin = _init_repo(tmp_path / "origin")
     (origin / "tracked.txt").write_text("one\n", encoding="utf-8")
     _commit_all(origin)