diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/test/symlink-join.nix b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/test/symlink-join.nix
index 4750d9680d4a..30556add3119 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/test/symlink-join.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/test/symlink-join.nix
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   symlinkJoin,
   writeTextFile,
-  runCommand,
+  runCommandLocal,
   testers,
 }:
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ let
     text = "qux";
   };
 
-  emulatedSymlinkJoinFooBarStrip = runCommand "symlinkJoin-strip-foo-bar" { } ''
+  emulatedSymlinkJoinFooBarStrip = runCommandLocal "symlinkJoin-strip-foo-bar" { } ''
     mkdir $out
     ln -s ${foo}/etc/test.d/foo $out/
     ln -s ${bar}/etc/test.d/bar $out/
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ in
         baz
       ];
     };
-    expected = runCommand "symlinkJoin-foo-bar-baz" { } ''
+    expected = runCommandLocal "symlinkJoin-foo-bar-baz" { } ''
       mkdir -p $out/{var/lib/arbitrary,etc/test.d}
       ln -s {${foo},${bar}}/etc/test.d/* $out/etc/test.d
       ln -s ${baz}/var/lib/arbitrary/baz $out/var/lib/arbitrary/
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ in
         baz
       ];
     };
-    expected = runCommand "symlinkJoin-foo-bar-baz" { } ''
+    expected = runCommandLocal "symlinkJoin-foo-bar-baz" { } ''
       mkdir -p $out/{var/lib/arbitrary,etc/test.d}
       ln -s {${foo},${bar}}/etc/test.d/* $out/etc/test.d
       ln -s ${baz}/var/lib/arbitrary/baz $out/var/lib/arbitrary/
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ in
   };
 
   symlinkJoin-fails-on-missing =
-    runCommand "symlinkJoin-fails-on-missing"
+    runCommandLocal "symlinkJoin-fails-on-missing"
       {
         failed = testBuildFailure (symlinkJoin {
           name = "symlinkJoin-fail";
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ in
       '';
 
   symlinkJoin-fails-on-file =
-    runCommand "symlinkJoin-fails-on-file"
+    runCommandLocal "symlinkJoin-fails-on-file"
       {
         failed = testBuildFailure (symlinkJoin {
           name = "symlinkJoin-fail";
diff --git a/pkgs/test/replace-vars/default.nix b/pkgs/test/replace-vars/default.nix
index e1cc2bf1c13d..a6dd3c15ec32 100644
--- a/pkgs/test/replace-vars/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/test/replace-vars/default.nix
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   lib,
   runCommand,
   testers,
+  writeText,
 }:
 let
   inherit (testers) testEqualContents testBuildFailure;
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ let
         };
 
         expected = mkExpectation (
-          builtins.toFile "source.txt" ''
+          writeText "source.txt" ''
             All human beings are born free and are the same in dignity and rights.
             They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards
             one another in a spirit of shared humanity.
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ let
           {
             failed =
               let
-                src = builtins.toFile "source.txt" ''
+                src = writeText "source.txt" ''
                   Header.
                   before @whatIsThis@ middle @It'sOdd2Me@ after.
                   @cannot detect due to space@
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ let
         };
 
         expected = mkExpectation (
-          builtins.toFile "source.txt" ''
+          writeText "source.txt" ''
             All human beings are born free and are the same in dignity and rights.
             They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards
             one another in a spirit of @brotherhood@.
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ let
           {
             failed =
               let
-                src = builtins.toFile "source.txt" ''
+                src = writeText "source.txt" ''
                   @a@
                   @b@
                   @c@
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ let
           {
             failed =
               let
-                src = builtins.toFile "source.txt" ''
+                src = writeText "source.txt" ''
                   @a@
                   @b@
                 '';