diff --git a/src/os/os_test.go b/src/os/os_test.go
index 878974384d..94ac58dcb0 100644
--- a/src/os/os_test.go
+++ b/src/os/os_test.go
@@ -1376,8 +1376,7 @@ func TestChtimes(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	f := newFile(t)
-
-	f.Write([]byte("hello, world\n"))
+	// This should be an empty file (see #68687, #68663).
 	f.Close()
 
 	testChtimes(t, f.Name())
@@ -1395,12 +1394,9 @@ func TestChtimesOmit(t *testing.T) {
 func testChtimesOmit(t *testing.T, omitAt, omitMt bool) {
 	t.Logf("omit atime: %v, mtime: %v", omitAt, omitMt)
 	file := newFile(t)
-	_, err := file.Write([]byte("hello, world\n"))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	// This should be an empty file (see #68687, #68663).
 	name := file.Name()
-	err = file.Close()
+	err := file.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}