diff --git a/spec/support/test_env.rb b/spec/support/test_env.rb
index 5f55871dc4a..e6db410fb1c 100644
--- a/spec/support/test_env.rb
+++ b/spec/support/test_env.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@ require 'rspec/mocks'
 module TestEnv
   extend self
 
+  # When developing the seed repository, comment out the branch you will modify.
+  BRANCH_SHA = {
+    'feature'          => '0b4bc9a',
+    'feature_conflict' => 'bb5206f',
+    'fix'              => '12d65c8',
+    'improve/awesome'  => '5937ac0',
+    'markdown'         => '0ed8c6c',
+    'master'           => '5937ac0'
+  }
+
   # Test environment
   #
   # See gitlab.yml.example test section for paths
@@ -18,13 +28,13 @@ module TestEnv
 
     if File.directory?(tmp_test_path)
       Dir.entries(tmp_test_path).each do |entry|
-        unless ['.', '..', 'gitlab-shell'].include?(entry)
+        unless ['.', '..', 'gitlab-shell', factory_repo_name].include?(entry)
           FileUtils.rm_r(File.join(tmp_test_path, entry))
         end
       end
     end
 
-    FileUtils.mkdir_p(tmp_test_path)
+    FileUtils.mkdir_p(repos_path)
 
     # Setup GitLab shell for test instance
     setup_gitlab_shell
@@ -49,13 +59,32 @@ module TestEnv
     clone_url = "https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/#{factory_repo_name}.git"
 
     unless File.directory?(factory_repo_path)
-      git_cmd = %W(git clone --bare #{clone_url} #{factory_repo_path})
-      system(*git_cmd)
+      system(*%W(git clone #{clone_url} #{factory_repo_path}))
     end
+
+    Dir.chdir(factory_repo_path) do
+      BRANCH_SHA.each do |branch, sha|
+        # Try to reset without fetching to avoid using the network.
+        reset = %W(git update-ref refs/heads/#{branch} #{sha})
+        unless system(*reset)
+          if system(*%w(git fetch origin))
+            unless system(*reset)
+              raise 'The fetched test seed '\
+              'does not contain the required revision.'
+            end
+          else
+            raise 'Could not fetch test seed repository.'
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # We must copy bare repositories because we will push to them.
+    system(*%W(git clone --bare #{factory_repo_path} #{factory_repo_path_bare}))
   end
 
   def copy_repo(project)
-    base_repo_path = File.expand_path(factory_repo_path)
+    base_repo_path = File.expand_path(factory_repo_path_bare)
     target_repo_path = File.expand_path(repos_path + "/#{project.namespace.path}/#{project.path}.git")
     FileUtils.mkdir_p(target_repo_path)
     FileUtils.cp_r("#{base_repo_path}/.", target_repo_path)
@@ -69,7 +98,11 @@ module TestEnv
   private
 
   def factory_repo_path
-    @factory_repo_path ||= repos_path + "/root/#{factory_repo_name}.git"
+    @factory_repo_path ||= Rails.root.join('tmp', 'tests', factory_repo_name)
+  end
+
+  def factory_repo_path_bare
+    factory_repo_path.to_s + '_bare'
   end
 
   def factory_repo_name