diff --git a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/defs-manager-impl-test.cpp b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/defs-manager-impl-test.cpp
index 9afa64b21..9df802a31 100644
--- a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/defs-manager-impl-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/defs-manager-impl-test.cpp
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ lumiera::query::setFakeBypass("stream("+sID+")"); //////////////////////////////
       forget (string pID)
         {
           PPipe pipe = Pipe::query ("pipe("+pID+")");
-          REQUIRE (find (pipe->getPipeID()), "need an object registered as default");
+          REQUIRE (find (pipe->getPipeID()), "test assumes pre-registered default pipe");
           long cnt = pipe.use_count();
           
           // now de-register the pipe as "default Pipe"
diff --git a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/scope-path-test.cpp b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/scope-path-test.cpp
index 01c9b95c6..e54fed27a 100644
--- a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/scope-path-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/scope-path-test.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ namespace test    {
           VERIFY_ERROR (NOT_IN_SESSION, Scope invalid (notRelated2anything) );
           
           Scope const& scopeOfEvil = fabricate_invalidScope();
-          REQUIRE (!scopeOfEvil.isValid());
+          CHECK (!scopeOfEvil.isValid());
           
           VERIFY_ERROR (INVALID_SCOPE, ScopePath outsideCurrentModel (scopeOfEvil) );
           
diff --git a/tests/lib/singleton-testmock-test.cpp b/tests/lib/singleton-testmock-test.cpp
index 27a0ce086..df8cfdfd4 100644
--- a/tests/lib/singleton-testmock-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/lib/singleton-testmock-test.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ namespace test{
   class SingletonTestMock_test : public Test
     {
       
-      Singleton<TestSingletonO> instance;
+      Singleton<TestSingletonO> sing;
       
       void
       run (Arg arg)
@@ -140,30 +140,26 @@ namespace test{
       void
       injectBoth ()
         {
-          TestSingletonO* sing = &instance();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 2);
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 2);
           
-          instance.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
-          sing = &instance();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 5);
+          sing.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 5);
           
-          instance.injectSubclass (new Mock_2);
-          sing = &instance();
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 1);
+          sing.injectSubclass (new Mock_2);
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 1);
           
-          instance.injectSubclass (0); // un-shadowing original instance
-          sing = &instance();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 2);
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 3);
+          sing.injectSubclass (0);  // un-shadowing original instance
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 2);
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 3);
         }
       
       
@@ -171,8 +167,7 @@ namespace test{
       void
       noMock ()
         {
-          TestSingletonO& sing = instance();
-          sing.doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
         }
       
       
@@ -181,9 +176,8 @@ namespace test{
       void
       onlyMock ()
         {
-          instance.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
-          TestSingletonO& sing = instance();
-          sing.doIt();
+          sing.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
+          sing().doIt();
         }
       
       
@@ -194,16 +188,14 @@ namespace test{
       void
       firstMock ()
         {
-          instance.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
-          TestSingletonO* sing = &instance();
-          sing->doIt();
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 2);
+          sing.injectSubclass (new Mock_1);
+          sing().doIt();
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 2);
           
-          instance.injectSubclass (0);
-          sing = &instance();
-          sing->doIt();
-          CHECK (sing->getCnt() == 1);
+          sing.injectSubclass (0);
+          sing().doIt();
+          CHECK (sing().getCnt() == 1);
         }
     };