diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_aptpkg.py b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_aptpkg.py
index cd9803b8fc82..f7b1288bf6d3 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_aptpkg.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_aptpkg.py
@@ -1290,17 +1290,17 @@ def test_call_apt_dpkg_lock():
     ]
 
     cmd_mock = MagicMock(side_effect=cmd_side_effect)
-    cmd_call = (
+    cmd_call = [
         call(
             ["dpkg", "-l", "python"],
-            env={},
-            ignore_retcode=False,
             output_loglevel="quiet",
             python_shell=True,
+            env={},
+            ignore_retcode=False,
             username="Darth Vader",
         ),
-    )
-    expected_calls = [cmd_call * 5]
+    ]
+    expected_calls = cmd_call * 5
 
     with patch.dict(
         aptpkg.__salt__,
@@ -1320,7 +1320,7 @@ def test_call_apt_dpkg_lock():
 
             # We should attempt to call the cmd 5 times
             assert cmd_mock.call_count == 5
-            cmd_mock.has_calls(expected_calls)
+            cmd_mock.assert_has_calls(expected_calls)
 
 
 def test_services_need_restart_checkrestart_missing():
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_linux_sysctl.py b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_linux_sysctl.py
index 0bdd24039d77..6b0875bc4602 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_linux_sysctl.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_linux_sysctl.py
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ def test_persist_no_conf_failure():
         ):
             with pytest.raises(CommandExecutionError):
                 linux_sysctl.persist("net.ipv4.ip_forward", 42, config=None)
-    fopen_mock.called_once()
+    fopen_mock.assert_called_once()
 
 
 def test_persist_no_conf_success():
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ def test_persist_value_with_spaces_already_set(tmp_path):
     """
     config = str(tmp_path / "existing_sysctl_with_spaces.conf")
     value = "|/usr/share/kdump-tools/dump-core %p %s %t %e"
-    config_file_content = "kernel.core_pattern = {}\n".format(value)
+    config_file_content = f"kernel.core_pattern = {value}\n"
     with fopen(config, "w", encoding="utf-8") as config_file:
         config_file.write(config_file_content)
     mock_run = MagicMock(return_value=value)
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ def test_persist_value_with_spaces_already_configured(tmp_path):
     """
     config = str(tmp_path / "existing_sysctl_with_spaces.conf")
     value = "|/usr/share/kdump-tools/dump-core %p %s %t %e"
-    config_file_content = "kernel.core_pattern = {}\n".format(value)
+    config_file_content = f"kernel.core_pattern = {value}\n"
     with fopen(config, "w", encoding="utf-8") as config_file:
         config_file.write(config_file_content)
     mock_run = MagicMock(return_value="")
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ def test_persist_value_with_spaces_update_config(tmp_path):
     assert os.path.isfile(config)
     with fopen(config, encoding="utf-8") as config_file:
         written = config_file.read()
-    assert written == "kernel.core_pattern = {}\n".format(value)
+    assert written == f"kernel.core_pattern = {value}\n"
 
 
 def test_persist_value_with_spaces_new_file(tmp_path):
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_win_ip.py b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_win_ip.py
index 38eb6b1ac5f1..94a3fe7ca938 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_win_ip.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_win_ip.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def test_enable():
     ):
         assert win_ip.enable("Ethernet")
 
-    mock_cmd.called_once_with(
+    mock_cmd.assert_called_once_with(
         [
             "netsh",
             "interface",
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def test_disable():
     ):
         assert win_ip.disable("Ethernet")
 
-    mock_cmd.called_once_with(
+    mock_cmd.assert_called_once_with(
         [
             "netsh",
             "interface",
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/test_master.py b/tests/pytests/unit/test_master.py
index cd11d217c793..502767d3e343 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/test_master.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/test_master.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def test_fileserver_duration():
         end = time.time()
         # Interval is equal to timeout so the _do_update method will be called
         # one time.
-        update.called_once()
+        update.assert_called_once()
         # Timeout is 1 second
         duration = end - start
         if duration > 2 and salt.utils.platform.spawning_platform():
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/test_minion.py b/tests/pytests/unit/test_minion.py
index 8df1d4570a86..5789a22f4ddc 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/test_minion.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/test_minion.py
@@ -700,7 +700,9 @@ def compile_pillar(self):
         with patch("salt.pillar.get_pillar", return_value=MockPillarCompiler()):
             with patch("salt.loader.executors") as execmock:
                 minion.gen_modules()
-        assert execmock.called_with(minion.opts, minion.functions)
+        execmock.assert_called_with(
+            minion.opts, functions=minion.functions, proxy=minion.proxy, context={}
+        )
     finally:
         minion.destroy()
 
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/utils/event/test_event.py b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/event/test_event.py
index 79e73469b006..1d824fb963bb 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/utils/event/test_event.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/event/test_event.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def sock_dir(tmp_path):
 def _assert_got_event(evt, data, msg=None, expected_failure=False):
     assert evt is not None, msg
     for key in data:
-        assert key in evt, "{}: Key {} missing".format(msg, key)
+        assert key in evt, f"{msg}: Key {key} missing"
         assertMsg = "{0}: Key {1} value mismatch, {2} != {3}"
         assertMsg = assertMsg.format(msg, key, data[key], evt[key])
         if not expected_failure:
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ def test_minion_event(sock_dir):
         :10
     ]
     with salt.utils.event.MinionEvent(opts, listen=False) as me:
-        assert me.puburi == str(sock_dir / "minion_event_{}_pub.ipc".format(id_hash))
-        assert me.pulluri == str(sock_dir / "minion_event_{}_pull.ipc".format(id_hash))
+        assert me.puburi == str(sock_dir / f"minion_event_{id_hash}_pub.ipc")
+        assert me.pulluri == str(sock_dir / f"minion_event_{id_hash}_pull.ipc")
 
 
 def test_minion_event_tcp_ipc_mode():
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ def test_minion_event_tcp_ipc_mode():
 def test_minion_event_no_id(sock_dir):
     with salt.utils.event.MinionEvent(dict(sock_dir=str(sock_dir)), listen=False) as me:
         id_hash = hashlib.sha256(salt.utils.stringutils.to_bytes("")).hexdigest()[:10]
-        assert me.puburi == str(sock_dir / "minion_event_{}_pub.ipc".format(id_hash))
-        assert me.pulluri == str(sock_dir / "minion_event_{}_pull.ipc".format(id_hash))
+        assert me.puburi == str(sock_dir / f"minion_event_{id_hash}_pub.ipc")
+        assert me.pulluri == str(sock_dir / f"minion_event_{id_hash}_pull.ipc")
 
 
 @pytest.mark.slow_test
@@ -256,9 +256,9 @@ def test_event_many(sock_dir):
     with eventpublisher_process(str(sock_dir)):
         with salt.utils.event.MasterEvent(str(sock_dir), listen=True) as me:
             for i in range(500):
-                me.fire_event({"data": "{}".format(i)}, "testevents")
+                me.fire_event({"data": f"{i}"}, "testevents")
                 evt = me.get_event(tag="testevents")
-                _assert_got_event(evt, {"data": "{}".format(i)}, "Event {}".format(i))
+                _assert_got_event(evt, {"data": f"{i}"}, f"Event {i}")
 
 
 @pytest.mark.slow_test
@@ -268,10 +268,10 @@ def test_event_many_backlog(sock_dir):
         with salt.utils.event.MasterEvent(str(sock_dir), listen=True) as me:
             # Must not exceed zmq HWM
             for i in range(500):
-                me.fire_event({"data": "{}".format(i)}, "testevents")
+                me.fire_event({"data": f"{i}"}, "testevents")
             for i in range(500):
                 evt = me.get_event(tag="testevents")
-                _assert_got_event(evt, {"data": "{}".format(i)}, "Event {}".format(i))
+                _assert_got_event(evt, {"data": f"{i}"}, f"Event {i}")
 
 
 # Test the fire_master function. As it wraps the underlying fire_event,
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ def test_connect_pull_should_debug_log_on_StreamClosedError():
     event = SaltEvent(node=None)
     with patch.object(event, "pusher") as mock_pusher:
         with patch.object(
-            salt.utils.event.log, "debug", auto_spec=True
+            salt.utils.event.log, "debug", autospec=True
         ) as mock_log_debug:
             mock_pusher.connect.side_effect = tornado.iostream.StreamClosedError
             event.connect_pull()
@@ -315,10 +315,10 @@ def test_connect_pull_should_error_log_on_other_errors(error):
     event = SaltEvent(node=None)
     with patch.object(event, "pusher") as mock_pusher:
         with patch.object(
-            salt.utils.event.log, "debug", auto_spec=True
+            salt.utils.event.log, "debug", autospec=True
         ) as mock_log_debug:
             with patch.object(
-                salt.utils.event.log, "error", auto_spec=True
+                salt.utils.event.log, "error", autospec=True
             ) as mock_log_error:
                 mock_pusher.connect.side_effect = error
                 event.connect_pull()
diff --git a/tests/unit/modules/test_nilrt_ip.py b/tests/unit/modules/test_nilrt_ip.py
index 1261473edb45..50dc13b20b80 100644
--- a/tests/unit/modules/test_nilrt_ip.py
+++ b/tests/unit/modules/test_nilrt_ip.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_change_state_down_state(self):
                 "salt.modules.nilrt_ip._change_dhcp_config", return_value=True
             ) as change_dhcp_config_mock:
                 assert nilrt_ip._change_state("test_interface", "down")
-                assert change_dhcp_config_mock.called_with("test_interface", False)
+                change_dhcp_config_mock.assert_called_with("test_interface", False)
 
     def test_change_state_up_state(self):
         """
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def test_change_state_up_state(self):
                 "salt.modules.nilrt_ip._change_dhcp_config", return_value=True
             ) as change_dhcp_config_mock:
                 assert nilrt_ip._change_state("test_interface", "up")
-                assert change_dhcp_config_mock.called_with("test_interface")
+                change_dhcp_config_mock.assert_called_with("test_interface")
 
     def test_set_static_all_with_dns(self):
         """
diff --git a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_saltnado.py b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_saltnado.py
index 0873ef3af343..8c14aedf9f84 100644
--- a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_saltnado.py
+++ b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_saltnado.py
@@ -648,7 +648,6 @@ def completer():
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.dict(
             self.handler.application.opts,
@@ -699,7 +698,6 @@ def toggle_is_finished(*args, **kwargs):
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.object(
             self.handler,
@@ -730,8 +728,8 @@ def test_when_is_finished_then_all_collected_data_should_be_returned(self):
                 {
                     "tag": "fnord",
                     "data": {
-                        "return": "return from fnord {}".format(i),
-                        "id": "fnord {}".format(i),
+                        "return": f"return from fnord {i}",
+                        "id": f"fnord {i}",
                     },
                 }
             )
@@ -761,7 +759,6 @@ def toggle_is_finished(*args, **kwargs):
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.object(
             self.handler,
@@ -795,8 +792,8 @@ def test_when_is_timed_out_then_all_collected_data_should_be_returned(self):
                 {
                     "tag": "fnord",
                     "data": {
-                        "return": "return from fnord {}".format(i),
-                        "id": "fnord {}".format(i),
+                        "return": f"return from fnord {i}",
+                        "id": f"fnord {i}",
                     },
                 }
             )
@@ -821,7 +818,6 @@ def fancy_get_event(*args, **kwargs):
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.dict(
             self.handler.application.opts,
@@ -844,12 +840,12 @@ def test_when_minions_all_return_then_all_collected_data_should_be_returned(self
         completed_events = [tornado.gen.Future() for _ in range(10)]
         events_by_id = {}
         for i, event in enumerate(completed_events):
-            id_ = "fnord {}".format(i)
+            id_ = f"fnord {i}"
             events_by_id[id_] = event
             event.set_result(
                 {
                     "tag": "fnord",
-                    "data": {"return": "return from {}".format(id_), "id": id_},
+                    "data": {"return": f"return from {id_}", "id": id_},
                 }
             )
         expected_result = {
@@ -879,7 +875,6 @@ def fancy_get_event(*args, **kwargs):
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.dict(
             self.handler.application.opts,
@@ -905,12 +900,12 @@ def test_when_min_wait_time_has_not_passed_then_disbatch_should_not_return_expec
         events_by_id = {}
         # Setup some real-enough looking return data
         for i, event in enumerate(completed_events):
-            id_ = "fnord {}".format(i)
+            id_ = f"fnord {i}"
             events_by_id[id_] = event
             event.set_result(
                 {
                     "tag": "fnord",
-                    "data": {"return": "return from {}".format(id_), "id": id_},
+                    "data": {"return": f"return from {id_}", "id": id_},
                 }
             )
         # Hard coded instead of dynamic to avoid potentially writing a test
@@ -972,7 +967,6 @@ def fake_sleep(timer):
         with patch.object(
             self.handler.application.event_listener,
             "get_event",
-            autospec=True,
             side_effect=fancy_get_event,
         ), patch.object(
             self.handler,