diff --git a/src/tests/core.py b/src/tests/core.py
index 005900d0..b01c6b69 100644
--- a/src/tests/core.py
+++ b/src/tests/core.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ program = None
 
 
 def pickle_knownnodes():
+    """Generate old style pickled knownnodes.dat"""
     now = time.time()
     with open(knownnodes_file, 'wb') as dst:
         pickle.dump({
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ def pickle_knownnodes():
 
 
 def cleanup():
+    """Cleanup application files"""
     os.remove(knownnodes_file)
 
 
diff --git a/src/tests/test_api.py b/src/tests/test_api.py
index dfe1b273..44505ffe 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_api.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class TestAPIShutdown(TestAPIProto, TestProcessShutdown):
     """Separate test case for API command 'shutdown'"""
     def test_shutdown(self):
         """Shutdown the pybitmessage"""
-        self.assertEquals(self.api.shutdown(), 'done')
+        self.assertEqual(self.api.shutdown(), 'done')
         for _ in range(5):
             if not self.process.is_running():
                 break
diff --git a/src/tests/test_config.py b/src/tests/test_config.py
index a0a727e5..35ddd3fa 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_config.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
             False
         )
         # no arg for default
+        # pylint: disable=too-many-function-args
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             BMConfigParser().safeGetBoolean(
                 'nonexistent', 'nonexistent', True)
@@ -47,9 +48,9 @@ class TestProcessConfig(TestProcessProto):
         config = BMConfigParser()
         config.read(os.path.join(self.home, 'keys.dat'))
 
-        self.assertEquals(config.safeGetInt(
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion'), 10)
-        self.assertEquals(config.safeGetInt(
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'port'), 8444)
         # don't connect
         self.assertTrue(config.safeGetBoolean(
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ class TestProcessConfig(TestProcessProto):
             'bitmessagesettings', 'apienabled'))
 
         # extralowdifficulty is false
-        self.assertEquals(config.safeGetInt(
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultnoncetrialsperbyte'), 1000)
-        self.assertEquals(config.safeGetInt(
+        self.assertEqual(config.safeGetInt(
             'bitmessagesettings', 'defaultpayloadlengthextrabytes'), 1000)