diff --git a/tests/test_updatediff.py b/tests/test_updatediff.py
index 5c9c86307..e031bf800 100644
--- a/tests/test_updatediff.py
+++ b/tests/test_updatediff.py
@@ -652,7 +652,8 @@ def test_file_removed(tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) -> None:
     # Subproject updates
     with local.cwd(dst):
         Path(".gitignore").write_text("toignore.txt")
-        git("commit", "-am", "ignore file")
+        git("add", ".gitignore")
+        git("commit", "-m", "ignore file")
         with pytest.raises(
             UserMessageError, match="Enable overwrite to update a subproject."
         ):