diff --git a/tests/functional/conftest.py b/tests/functional/conftest.py
index 3b432d1..50d0549 100644
--- a/tests/functional/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/functional/conftest.py
@@ -11,3 +11,9 @@ def uv_run():
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def test_dir(tmp_path_factory):
     yield tmp_path_factory.mktemp("functional")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def fresh_dir(tmp_path_factory):
+    # A dir no other test has touched. Use it in tests that assert nothing is created.
+    yield tmp_path_factory.mktemp("functional")
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_token.py b/tests/functional/test_token.py
index b24b148..1970268 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_token.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_token.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def test_invalid_repo_token(uv_run, test_dir):
     assert not (test_dir / "invalid").exists()
 
 
-def test_bad_token_no_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
+def test_bad_token_no_owner(uv_run, fresh_dir):
     command = [
         *uv_run,
         "gimmegit",
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def test_bad_token_no_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
     ]
     result = subprocess.run(
         command,
-        cwd=test_dir,
+        cwd=fresh_dir,
         env=helpers.bad_token_env(),
         capture_output=True,
         text=True,
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ def test_bad_token_no_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
 Error: GitHub rejected the token. Has the token expired?
 """
     assert result.stderr == expected_stderr
-    assert not (test_dir / "jubilant").exists() or not any((test_dir / "jubilant").iterdir())
+    assert not (fresh_dir / "jubilant").exists()
 
 
-def test_bad_token_no_upstream_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
+def test_bad_token_no_upstream_owner(uv_run, fresh_dir):
     command = [
         *uv_run,
         "gimmegit",
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def test_bad_token_no_upstream_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
     ]
     result = subprocess.run(
         command,
-        cwd=test_dir,
+        cwd=fresh_dir,
         env=helpers.bad_token_env(),
         capture_output=True,
         text=True,
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def test_bad_token_no_upstream_owner(uv_run, test_dir):
 Error: GitHub rejected the token. Has the token expired?
 """
     assert result.stderr == expected_stderr
-    assert not (test_dir / "jubilant").exists() or not any((test_dir / "jubilant").iterdir())
+    assert not (fresh_dir / "jubilant").exists()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(helpers.token_unset.condition, reason=helpers.token_unset.reason)