diff --git a/test/unit/common/ring/test_ring.py b/test/unit/common/ring/test_ring.py
index 4c4bbf33df..091cdeb705 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/ring/test_ring.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/ring/test_ring.py
@@ -212,18 +212,10 @@ class TestRing(TestRingBase):
         self.assertEqual(self.ring.reload_time, self.intended_reload_time)
         self.assertEqual(self.ring.serialized_path, self.testgz)
         # test invalid endcap
-        _orig_hash_path_suffix = utils.HASH_PATH_SUFFIX
-        _orig_hash_path_prefix = utils.HASH_PATH_PREFIX
-        _orig_swift_conf_file = utils.SWIFT_CONF_FILE
-        try:
-            utils.HASH_PATH_SUFFIX = ''
-            utils.HASH_PATH_PREFIX = ''
-            utils.SWIFT_CONF_FILE = ''
+        with mock.patch.object(utils, 'HASH_PATH_SUFFIX', ''), \
+                mock.patch.object(utils, 'HASH_PATH_PREFIX', ''), \
+                mock.patch.object(utils, 'SWIFT_CONF_FILE', ''):
             self.assertRaises(SystemExit, ring.Ring, self.testdir, 'whatever')
-        finally:
-            utils.HASH_PATH_SUFFIX = _orig_hash_path_suffix
-            utils.HASH_PATH_PREFIX = _orig_hash_path_prefix
-            utils.SWIFT_CONF_FILE = _orig_swift_conf_file
 
     def test_has_changed(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.ring.has_changed())
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_bufferedhttp.py b/test/unit/common/test_bufferedhttp.py
index 9ea07ec3b3..26dce69f30 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_bufferedhttp.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_bufferedhttp.py
@@ -98,9 +98,8 @@ class TestBufferedHTTP(unittest.TestCase):
                     raise Exception(err)
 
     def test_nonstr_header_values(self):
-        origHTTPSConnection = bufferedhttp.HTTPSConnection
-        bufferedhttp.HTTPSConnection = MockHTTPSConnection
-        try:
+        with mock.patch('swift.common.bufferedhttp.HTTPSConnection',
+                        MockHTTPSConnection):
             bufferedhttp.http_connect(
                 '127.0.0.1', 8080, 'sda', 1, 'GET', '/',
                 headers={'x-one': '1', 'x-two': 2, 'x-three': 3.0,
@@ -109,8 +108,6 @@ class TestBufferedHTTP(unittest.TestCase):
                 '127.0.0.1', 8080, 'GET', '/',
                 headers={'x-one': '1', 'x-two': 2, 'x-three': 3.0,
                          'x-four': {'crazy': 'value'}}, ssl=True)
-        finally:
-            bufferedhttp.HTTPSConnection = origHTTPSConnection
 
     def test_unicode_values(self):
         with mock.patch('swift.common.bufferedhttp.HTTPSConnection',
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_utils.py b/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
index 251619aa9f..634f29e61e 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
@@ -1503,8 +1503,8 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
         syslog_handler_catcher.LOG_LOCAL0 = orig_sysloghandler.LOG_LOCAL0
         syslog_handler_catcher.LOG_LOCAL3 = orig_sysloghandler.LOG_LOCAL3
 
-        try:
-            utils.ThreadSafeSysLogHandler = syslog_handler_catcher
+        with mock.patch.object(utils, 'ThreadSafeSysLogHandler',
+                               syslog_handler_catcher):
             utils.get_logger({
                 'log_facility': 'LOG_LOCAL3',
             }, 'server', log_route='server')
@@ -1553,8 +1553,6 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
                 ((), {'address': ('syslog.funtimes.com', 2123),
                       'facility': orig_sysloghandler.LOG_LOCAL0})],
                 syslog_handler_args)
-        finally:
-            utils.ThreadSafeSysLogHandler = orig_sysloghandler
 
     @reset_logger_state
     def test_clean_logger_exception(self):
@@ -2977,8 +2975,7 @@ cluster_dfw1 = http://dfw1.host/v1/
                 self.last_call[-1] = self.last_call[-1].value
                 return 0
 
-        orig__sys_fallocate = utils._sys_fallocate
-        try:
+        with patch.object(utils, '_sys_fallocate', FallocateWrapper()):
             utils._sys_fallocate = FallocateWrapper()
             # Ensure fallocate calls _sys_fallocate even with 0 bytes
             utils._sys_fallocate.last_call = None
@@ -3000,8 +2997,6 @@ cluster_dfw1 = http://dfw1.host/v1/
             utils.fallocate(1234, 10 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024)
             self.assertEqual(utils._sys_fallocate.last_call,
                              [1234, 1, 0, 10 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024])
-        finally:
-            utils._sys_fallocate = orig__sys_fallocate
 
     def test_generate_trans_id(self):
         fake_time = 1366428370.5163341