diff --git a/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/JiriSuperManifestIT.java b/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/JiriSuperManifestIT.java
index f9b2a5f..bec7dfc 100644
--- a/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/JiriSuperManifestIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/JiriSuperManifestIT.java
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
           projectOperations
               .newProject()
               .name(RandomStringUtils.randomAlphabetic(8) + prefix + i)
-              .withEmptyCommit()
               .create();
 
       TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> repo = cloneProject(testRepoKeys[i], admin);
@@ -82,10 +81,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -188,13 +187,13 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    NameKey manifest1Key = createProject("manifest1");
+    NameKey manifest1Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest1")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest1Repo = cloneProject(manifest1Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey manifest2Key = createProject("manifest2");
+    NameKey manifest2Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest2")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest2Repo = cloneProject(manifest2Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -256,13 +255,13 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    NameKey manifest1Key = createProject("manifest1");
+    NameKey manifest1Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest1")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest1Repo = cloneProject(manifest1Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey manifest2Key = createProject("manifest2");
+    NameKey manifest2Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest2")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest2Repo = cloneProject(manifest2Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -359,13 +358,13 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    NameKey manifest1Key = createProject("manifest1");
+    NameKey manifest1Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest1")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest1Repo = cloneProject(manifest1Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey manifest2Key = createProject("manifest2");
+    NameKey manifest2Key = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest2")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifest2Repo = cloneProject(manifest2Key, admin);
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -484,10 +483,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -561,10 +560,11 @@
 
     String realPrefix = testRepoKeys[0].get().split("/")[0];
 
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject(realPrefix + "/manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey =
+        projectOperations.newProject().name(name(realPrefix + "/manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     pushConfig(
         "[superproject \""
             + superKey.get()
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@
             + "\" path=\"project1\" />\n"
             + "</projects>\n</manifest>\n";
 
-    NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
     pushFactory
         .create(db, admin.getIdent(), manifestRepo, "Subject", "default", xml)
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@
         .to("refs/heads/master")
         .assertOkStatus();
 
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -700,8 +700,8 @@
             + "\" path=\"project1\" />\n"
             + "</projects>\n</manifest>\n";
 
-    NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
-    NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
+    NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
 
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
diff --git a/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/RepoSuperManifestIT.java b/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/RepoSuperManifestIT.java
index 38ff0c2..cae2b54 100644
--- a/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/RepoSuperManifestIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/supermanifest/RepoSuperManifestIT.java
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
           projectOperations
               .newProject()
               .name(RandomStringUtils.randomAlphabetic(8) + prefix + i)
-              .withEmptyCommit()
               .create();
 
       TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> repo = cloneProject(testRepoKeys[i], admin);
@@ -87,10 +86,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -187,10 +186,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     String remoteXml = "  <remote name=\"origin\" fetch=\"" + canonicalWebUrl.get() + "\" />\n";
@@ -236,10 +235,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     String remoteXml = "  <remote name=\"origin\" fetch=\"" + canonicalWebUrl.get() + "\" />\n";
@@ -298,10 +297,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     String remoteXml = "  <remote name=\"origin\" fetch=\"" + canonicalWebUrl.get() + "\" />\n";
@@ -388,10 +387,10 @@
     setupTestRepos("project");
 
     // Make sure the manifest exists so the configuration loads successfully.
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -473,7 +472,7 @@
             + "\" path=\"project1\" />\n"
             + "</manifest>\n";
 
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject("manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
     pushFactory
         .create(db, admin.getIdent(), manifestRepo, "Subject", "default.xml", xml)
@@ -491,7 +490,7 @@
         .to("refs/heads/master")
         .assertOkStatus();
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     cloneProject(superKey, admin);
 
     pushConfig(
@@ -525,10 +524,11 @@
     // The test framework adds more cruft to the prefix.
     String realPrefix = testRepoKeys[0].get().split("/")[0];
 
-    Project.NameKey manifestKey = createProject(realPrefix + "/manifest");
+    Project.NameKey manifestKey =
+        projectOperations.newProject().name(name(realPrefix + "/manifest")).create();
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> manifestRepo = cloneProject(manifestKey, admin);
 
-    Project.NameKey superKey = createProject("superproject");
+    Project.NameKey superKey = projectOperations.newProject().name(name("superproject")).create();
     pushConfig(
         "[superproject \""
             + superKey.get()