diff --git a/CRM/Activity/BAO/Activity.php b/CRM/Activity/BAO/Activity.php
index a4065942ca09..0046a5baa3e2 100644
--- a/CRM/Activity/BAO/Activity.php
+++ b/CRM/Activity/BAO/Activity.php
@@ -1783,16 +1783,14 @@ public static function addActivity(
    *   particular component object.
    *
    * @return string
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
    */
   public static function getActivitySubject($entityObj) {
+    // @todo determine the subject on the appropriate entity rather than from the activity.
     switch ($entityObj->__table) {
       case 'civicrm_membership':
-        $membershipType = CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipType($entityObj->membership_type_id);
-        $subject = $membershipType ? $membershipType : ts('Membership');
-
-        if (is_array($subject)) {
-          $subject = implode(", ", $subject);
-        }
+        $membershipType = CRM_Core_PseudoConstant::getLabel('CRM_Member_BAO_Membership', 'membership_type_id', $entityObj->membership_type_id);
+        $subject = $membershipType ?: ts('Membership');
 
         if (!CRM_Utils_System::isNull($entityObj->source)) {
           $subject .= " - {$entityObj->source}";
@@ -1803,7 +1801,7 @@ public static function getActivitySubject($entityObj) {
           $subject .= sprintf(' (by %s)', $displayName);
         }
 
-        $subject .= " - Status: " . CRM_Core_DAO::getFieldValue('CRM_Member_DAO_MembershipStatus', $entityObj->status_id, 'label');
+        $subject .= ' - Status: ' . CRM_Core_PseudoConstant::getLabel('CRM_Member_BAO_Membership', 'status_id', $entityObj->status_id);
         return $subject;
 
       case 'civicrm_participant':
diff --git a/CRM/Member/BAO/Membership.php b/CRM/Member/BAO/Membership.php
index 18cffb95a5a6..6640b4b113f8 100644
--- a/CRM/Member/BAO/Membership.php
+++ b/CRM/Member/BAO/Membership.php
@@ -403,8 +403,8 @@ private static function addToRecentItems($membership) {
       // ie in an update situation.
       $membership->find(TRUE);
     }
-    $membershipTypes = CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipType();
-    $title = CRM_Contact_BAO_Contact::displayName($membership->contact_id) . ' - ' . ts('Membership Type:') . ' ' . $membershipTypes[$membership->membership_type_id];
+    $title = CRM_Contact_BAO_Contact::displayName($membership->contact_id) . ' - ' . ts('Membership Type:')
+      . ' ' . CRM_Core_PseudoConstant::getLabel('CRM_Member_BAO_Membership', 'membership_type_id', $membership->membership_type_id);
 
     $recentOther = [];
     if (CRM_Core_Permission::checkActionPermission('CiviMember', CRM_Core_Action::UPDATE)) {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/CRM/Core/Payment/BaseIPNTest.php b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Core/Payment/BaseIPNTest.php
index 746dc8c1a7fe..758503c6c5ac 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/CRM/Core/Payment/BaseIPNTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Core/Payment/BaseIPNTest.php
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ public function setUp() {
    */
   public function tearDown() {
     $this->quickCleanUpFinancialEntities();
-    CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipType(NULL, TRUE);
     CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipStatus(NULL, NULL, 'name', TRUE);
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/MembershipTest.php b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/MembershipTest.php
index 5d0bc095107f..bd956ebf6dfa 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/MembershipTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/MembershipTest.php
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ public function setUp() {
     ]);
     $this->_membershipStatusID = $this->membershipStatusCreate('test status');
 
-    CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipType(NULL, TRUE);
     CRM_Member_PseudoConstant::membershipStatus(NULL, NULL, 'name', TRUE);
     CRM_Core_PseudoConstant::activityType(TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, 'name');
 
@@ -114,7 +113,7 @@ public function testMembershipDeletePreserveContribution() {
       'total_amount' => 100,
       'contact_id' => $this->_params['contact_id'],
     ]);
-    $membershipPaymentCreate = $this->callAPISuccess('MembershipPayment', 'create', [
+    $this->callAPISuccess('MembershipPayment', 'create', [
       'sequential' => 1,
       'contribution_id' => $ContributionCreate['values'][0]['id'],
       'membership_id' => $membershipID,
@@ -139,20 +138,17 @@ public function testMembershipDeletePreserveContribution() {
   public function testActivityForCancelledContribution() {
     $contactId = $this->createLoggedInUser();
     $membershipID = $this->contactMembershipCreate($this->_params);
-    $this->assertDBRowExist('CRM_Member_DAO_Membership', $membershipID);
 
     $ContributionCreate = $this->callAPISuccess('Contribution', 'create', [
-      'financial_type_id' => "Member Dues",
+      'financial_type_id' => 'Member Dues',
       'total_amount' => 100,
       'contact_id' => $this->_params['contact_id'],
     ]);
-    $membershipPaymentCreate = $this->callAPISuccess('MembershipPayment', 'create', [
+    $this->callAPISuccess('MembershipPayment', 'create', [
       'sequential' => 1,
       'contribution_id' => $ContributionCreate['id'],
       'membership_id' => $membershipID,
     ]);
-    $instruments = $this->callAPISuccess('contribution', 'getoptions', ['field' => 'payment_instrument_id']);
-    $this->paymentInstruments = $instruments['values'];
 
     $form = new CRM_Contribute_Form_Contribution();
     $form->_id = $ContributionCreate['id'];
@@ -160,16 +156,20 @@ public function testActivityForCancelledContribution() {
       'total_amount' => 100,
       'financial_type_id' => 1,
       'contact_id' => $contactId,
-      'payment_instrument_id' => array_search('Check', $this->paymentInstruments),
+      'payment_instrument_id' => CRM_Core_PseudoConstant::getKey('CRM_Contribute_BAO_Contribution', 'payment_instrument_id', 'Check'),
       'contribution_status_id' => 3,
     ],
     CRM_Core_Action::UPDATE);
 
-    $activity = $this->callAPISuccess('Activity', 'get', [
-      'activity_type_id' => "Change Membership Status",
+    $this->callAPISuccessGetSingle('Activity', [
+      'activity_type_id' => 'Membership Signup',
+      'source_record_id' => $membershipID,
+      'subject' => 'General - Payment - Status: test status',
+    ]);
+    $this->callAPISuccessGetSingle('Activity', [
+      'activity_type_id' => 'Change Membership Status',
       'source_record_id' => $membershipID,
     ]);
-    $this->assertNotEmpty($activity['values']);
   }
 
   /**