diff --git a/spec/helpers.rb b/spec/helpers.rb
index 2e436663c..9005ec57e 100644
--- a/spec/helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers.rb
@@ -50,23 +50,21 @@ def create_pending_vm(template, name, token = nil)
   redis.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", "template", template)
 end
 
-def create_vm(name, token = nil, r = nil)
-  redis = r if r
-  redis.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'checkout', Time.now)
-  if token
-    redis.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'token:token', token)
-  end
+def create_vm(name, token = nil, redis_handle = nil)
+  redis_db = redis_handle ? redis_handle : redis
+  redis_db.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'checkout', Time.now)
+  redis_db.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'token:token', token) if token
 end
 
-def create_migrating_vm(name, pool, r = nil)
-  redis = r if r
-  redis.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'checkout', Time.now)
-  redis.sadd("vmpooler__migrating__#{pool}", name)
+def create_migrating_vm(name, pool, redis_handle = nil)
+  redis_db = redis_handle ? redis_handle : redis
+  redis_db.hset("vmpooler__vm__#{name}", 'checkout', Time.now)
+  redis_db.sadd("vmpooler__migrating__#{pool}", name)
 end
 
-def add_vm_to_migration_set(name, r=nil)
-  redis = r if r
-  redis.sadd('vmpooler__migration', name)
+def add_vm_to_migration_set(name, redis_handle = nil)
+  redis_db = redis_handle ? redis_handle : redis
+  redis_db.sadd('vmpooler__migration', name)
 end
 
 def fetch_vm(vm)
diff --git a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_migration_spec.rb b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_migration_spec.rb
index 88357db65..c586deda2 100644
--- a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_migration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_migration_spec.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 describe 'Pool Manager' do
   let(:logger) { double('logger') }
   let(:redis) { MockRedis.new }
-  #let(:redis) { Redis.new }
   let(:metrics) { Vmpooler::DummyStatsd.new }
   let(:config) {
     {