diff --git a/core/python/test/rostest_mps.py b/core/python/test/rostest_mps.py
index 56ac151b9..c89a1fc5b 100755
--- a/core/python/test/rostest_mps.py
+++ b/core/python/test/rostest_mps.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 
-from __future__ import print_function
 import unittest
 import rostest
 from py_binding_tools import roscpp_init
@@ -9,6 +8,10 @@
 from geometry_msgs.msg import PoseStamped
 
 
+def setUpModule():
+    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
+
+
 def make_pose(x, y, z):
     pose = PoseStamped()
     pose.header.frame_id = "base_link"
@@ -113,5 +116,4 @@ def test_bw_remove_object(self):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
     rostest.rosrun("mtc", "mps", TestModifyPlanningScene)
diff --git a/core/python/test/rostest_mtc.py b/core/python/test/rostest_mtc.py
index 5db8487d4..6b6a9de60 100755
--- a/core/python/test/rostest_mtc.py
+++ b/core/python/test/rostest_mtc.py
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 
-from __future__ import print_function
 import unittest
 import rostest
 from py_binding_tools import roscpp_init
 from moveit.task_constructor import core, stages
-from geometry_msgs.msg import PoseStamped, Pose
+from geometry_msgs.msg import PoseStamped
 from geometry_msgs.msg import Vector3Stamped, Vector3
 from std_msgs.msg import Header
-import rospy
+
+
+def setUpModule():
+    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
 
 
 class Test(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -55,5 +57,4 @@ def createDisplacement(group, displacement):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
     rostest.rosrun("mtc", "base", Test)
diff --git a/core/python/test/rostest_trampoline.py b/core/python/test/rostest_trampoline.py
index 46641af2e..8d33a31d3 100755
--- a/core/python/test/rostest_trampoline.py
+++ b/core/python/test/rostest_trampoline.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-from __future__ import print_function
 import unittest
 import rostest
 from py_binding_tools import roscpp_init
@@ -12,11 +11,21 @@
 
 PLANNING_GROUP = "manipulator"
 
-pybind11_versions = [
-    k for k in __builtins__.__dict__.keys() if k.startswith("__pybind11_internals_v")
-]
+
+def setUpModule():
+    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
+
+
+def pybind11_versions():
+    try:
+        keys = __builtins__.keys()  # for use with pytest
+    except AttributeError:
+        keys = __builtins__.__dict__.keys()  # use from cmdline
+    return [k for k in keys if k.startswith("__pybind11_internals_v")]
+
+
 incompatible_pybind11_msg = "MoveIt and MTC use incompatible pybind11 versions: " + "\n- ".join(
-    pybind11_versions
+    pybind11_versions()
 )
 
 
@@ -106,12 +115,12 @@ def plan(self, task, expected_solutions=None, wait=False):
         if wait:
             input("Waiting for any key (allows inspection in rviz)")
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(len(pybind11_versions) > 1, incompatible_pybind11_msg)
+    @unittest.skipIf(len(pybind11_versions()) > 1, incompatible_pybind11_msg)
     def test_generator(self):
         task = self.create(PyGenerator())
         self.plan(task, expected_solutions=PyGenerator.max_calls)
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(len(pybind11_versions) > 1, incompatible_pybind11_msg)
+    @unittest.skipIf(len(pybind11_versions()) > 1, incompatible_pybind11_msg)
     def test_monitoring_generator(self):
         task = self.create(
             stages.CurrentState("current"),
@@ -131,5 +140,4 @@ def test_propagator(self):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    roscpp_init("test_mtc")
     rostest.rosrun("mtc", "trampoline", TestTrampolines)
diff --git a/core/python/test/test_mtc.py b/core/python/test/test_mtc.py
index 8cc73ba70..ff1d7076c 100644
--- a/core/python/test/test_mtc.py
+++ b/core/python/test/test_mtc.py
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-from __future__ import print_function
-import unittest, sys
+import sys
+import unittest
 from geometry_msgs.msg import Pose, PoseStamped, PointStamped, TwistStamped, Vector3Stamped
 from moveit_msgs.msg import RobotState, Constraints, MotionPlanRequest
 from moveit.task_constructor import core, stages
 
 
 class TestPropertyMap(unittest.TestCase):
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(TestPropertyMap, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    def setUp(self):
         self.props = core.PropertyMap()
 
     def _check(self, name, value):
@@ -85,8 +84,7 @@ def test_expose(self):
 
 
 class TestModifyPlanningScene(unittest.TestCase):
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(TestModifyPlanningScene, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    def setUp(self):
         self.mps = stages.ModifyPlanningScene("mps")
 
     def test_attach_objects_invalid_args(self):
@@ -117,8 +115,7 @@ def test_allow_collisions(self):
 
 
 class TestStages(unittest.TestCase):
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(TestStages, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    def setUp(self):
         self.planner = core.PipelinePlanner()
 
     def _check(self, stage, name, value):