diff --git a/tests/test-encoding-align b/tests/test-encoding-align
--- a/tests/test-encoding-align
+++ b/tests/test-encoding-align
@@ -60,34 +60,38 @@ hg help showoptlist
 ####     - user names in annotate
 ####     - file names in diffstat
 
+rm -f s; touch s
+rm -f m; touch m
+rm -f l; touch l
+
 #### add files
 
-touch $S
+cp s $S
 hg add $S
-touch $M
+cp m $M
 hg add $M
-touch $L
+cp l $L
 hg add $L
 
 #### commit(1)
 
-echo 'first line(1)' >> $S
-echo 'first line(2)' >> $M
-echo 'first line(3)' >> $L
+echo 'first line(1)' >> s; cp s $S
+echo 'first line(2)' >> m; cp m $M
+echo 'first line(3)' >> l; cp l $L
 hg commit -m 'first commit' -u $S -d "1000000 0"
 
 #### commit(2)
 
-echo 'second line(1)' >> $S
-echo 'second line(2)' >> $M
-echo 'second line(3)' >> $L
+echo 'second line(1)' >> s; cp s $S
+echo 'second line(2)' >> m; cp m $M
+echo 'second line(3)' >> l; cp l $L
 hg commit -m 'second commit' -u $M -d "1000000 0"
 
 #### commit(3)
 
-echo 'third line(1)' >> $S
-echo 'third line(2)' >> $M
-echo 'third line(3)' >> $L
+echo 'third line(1)' >> s; cp s $S
+echo 'third line(2)' >> m; cp m $M
+echo 'third line(3)' >> l; cp l $L
 hg commit -m 'third commit' -u $L -d "1000000 0"
 
 #### check