diff --git a/internal/pkg/pkg_test.go b/internal/pkg/pkg_test.go
index 793b1e82..04bd665f 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/pkg_test.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/pkg_test.go
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ func checkWithCache(t *testing.T, testCases []cacheTestCase) {
 			msg := message.New(log.New(os.Stderr, "cache: ", 0))
 			msg.SwapVerbose(testing.Verbose())
 
-			flags := tc.flags
+			flags := tc.flags | pkg.CSuppressInit
 
 			if info.CanDegrade {
 				if _, err := landlock.GetABI(); err != nil {
@@ -544,7 +544,11 @@ func cureMany(t *testing.T, c *pkg.Cache, steps []cureStep) {
 			t.Fatalf("Cure: pathname = %q, want %q", pathname, step.pathname)
 		} else if step.output == nil || checksum != makeChecksumH(step.output.hash()) {
 			if pathname != nil {
-				t.Fatal(expectsFrom(pathname.String()))
+				if name, _err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(pathname.String()); _err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(_err)
+				} else {
+					t.Fatal(expectsFrom(name))
+				}
 			} else if checksum != (unique.Handle[pkg.Checksum]{}) {
 				t.Fatalf("Cure: unexpected checksum %s", pkg.Encode(checksum.Value()))
 			}