diff --git a/cpio/test/test.h b/cpio/test/test.h
index 05fa2c3810..9d2c7d7881 100644
--- a/cpio/test/test.h
+++ b/cpio/test/test.h
@@ -101,13 +101,6 @@
 #pragma warn -8068	/* Constant out of range in comparison. */
 #endif
 
-/* Cygwin */
-#if defined(__CYGWIN__)
-/* Cygwin-1.7.x is lazy about populating nlinks, so don't
- * expect it to be accurate. */
-# define NLINKS_INACCURATE_FOR_DIRS
-#endif
-
 /* Haiku OS and QNX */
 #if defined(__HAIKU__) || defined(__QNXNTO__)
 /* Haiku and QNX have typedefs in stdint.h (needed for int64_t) */
diff --git a/cpio/test/test_format_newc.c b/cpio/test/test_format_newc.c
index e1047e5b4e..365859a521 100644
--- a/cpio/test/test_format_newc.c
+++ b/cpio/test/test_format_newc.c
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ from_hex(const char *p, size_t l)
 	return (r);
 }
 
+static int
+nlinks(const char *p)
+{
+	struct stat st;
+	assertEqualInt(0, stat(p, &st));
+	return st.st_nlink;
+}
+
 DEFINE_TEST(test_format_newc)
 {
 	FILE *list;
@@ -241,11 +249,9 @@ DEFINE_TEST(test_format_newc)
 	/* Mode: sgid bit sometimes propagates from parent dirs, ignore it. */
 	assertEqualInt(040775, from_hex(e + 14, 8) & ~02000);
 #endif
-	assertEqualInt(from_hex(e + 22, 8), uid); /* uid */
+	assertEqualInt(uid, from_hex(e + 22, 8)); /* uid */
 	assertEqualInt(gid, from_hex(e + 30, 8)); /* gid */
-#ifndef NLINKS_INACCURATE_FOR_DIRS
-	assertEqualMem(e + 38, "00000002", 8); /* nlink */
-#endif
+	assertEqualInt(nlinks("dir"), from_hex(e + 38, 8)); /* nlinks */
 	t2 = from_hex(e + 46, 8); /* mtime */
 	failure("First entry created at t=0x%08x this entry created at t2=0x%08x", t, t2);
 	assert(t2 == t || t2 == t + 1); /* Almost same as first entry. */
diff --git a/cpio/test/test_option_c.c b/cpio/test/test_option_c.c
index 241bcf67bb..f9fbc92df0 100644
--- a/cpio/test/test_option_c.c
+++ b/cpio/test/test_option_c.c
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ from_octal(const char *p, size_t l)
 	return (r);
 }
 
+static int
+nlinks(const char *p)
+{
+	struct stat st;
+	assertEqualInt(0, stat(p, &st));
+	return st.st_nlink;
+}
+
 DEFINE_TEST(test_option_c)
 {
 	FILE *filelist;
@@ -185,13 +193,13 @@ DEFINE_TEST(test_option_c)
 	if (memcmp(e + 18, "042775", 6) != 0)
 		assertEqualMem(e + 18, "040775", 6); /* Mode */
 #endif
-	assertEqualInt(from_octal(e + 24, 6), uid); /* uid */
+	assertEqualInt(uid, from_octal(e + 24, 6)); /* uid */
 	/* Gid should be same as first entry. */
 	assert(is_octal(e + 30, 6)); /* gid */
 	assertEqualInt(gid, from_octal(e + 30, 6));
-#ifndef NLINKS_INACCURATE_FOR_DIRS
-	assertEqualMem(e + 36, "000002", 6); /* Nlink */
-#endif
+
+	assertEqualInt(nlinks("dir"), from_octal(e + 36, 6)); /* Nlink */
+
 	t = from_octal(e + 48, 11); /* mtime */
 	assert(t <= now); /* File wasn't created in future. */
 	assert(t >= now - 2); /* File was created w/in last 2 secs. */
diff --git a/libarchive/test/test.h b/libarchive/test/test.h
index d9c6a08ec1..19aee761a0 100644
--- a/libarchive/test/test.h
+++ b/libarchive/test/test.h
@@ -97,13 +97,6 @@
 #pragma warn -8068	/* Constant out of range in comparison. */
 #endif
 
-/* Cygwin */
-#if defined(__CYGWIN__)
-/* Cygwin-1.7.x is lazy about populating nlinks, so don't
- * expect it to be accurate. */
-# define NLINKS_INACCURATE_FOR_DIRS
-#endif
-
 /* Haiku OS and QNX */
 #if defined(__HAIKU__) || defined(__QNXNTO__)
 /* Haiku and QNX have typedefs in stdint.h (needed for int64_t) */
diff --git a/tar/test/test.h b/tar/test/test.h
index c4088cbbae..7166493a20 100644
--- a/tar/test/test.h
+++ b/tar/test/test.h
@@ -101,13 +101,6 @@
 #pragma warn -8068	/* Constant out of range in comparison. */
 #endif
 
-/* Cygwin */
-#if defined(__CYGWIN__)
-/* Cygwin-1.7.x is lazy about populating nlinks, so don't
- * expect it to be accurate. */
-# define NLINKS_INACCURATE_FOR_DIRS
-#endif
-
 /* Haiku OS and QNX */
 #if defined(__HAIKU__) || defined(__QNXNTO__)
 /* Haiku and QNX have typedefs in stdint.h (needed for int64_t) */