diff --git a/test/easyblocks/general.py b/test/easyblocks/general.py
index 6638043853..813b9353a3 100644
--- a/test/easyblocks/general.py
+++ b/test/easyblocks/general.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 from easybuild.base.testing import TestCase
 from easybuild.easyblocks import VERSION
 from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError
-from easybuild.tools.run import run_cmd
+from easybuild.tools.run import run_shell_cmd
 
 
 EASYBLOCK_BODY = """
@@ -62,11 +62,14 @@ def det_path_for_import(module, pythonpath=None):
 
     cmd = cmd_tmpl % {'mod': module}
 
-    out, _ = run_cmd(cmd, simple=False)
+    res = run_shell_cmd(cmd, hidden=True, fail_on_error=False)
+
+    if res.exit_code:
+        raise EasyBuildError(res.output)
 
     # only return last line that should contain path to imported module
     # warning messages may precede it
-    return out.strip().split('\n')[-1]
+    return res.output.strip().split('\n')[-1]
 
 
 def up(path, level):
@@ -134,7 +137,7 @@ def write_module(path, txt):
             self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(easyblocks_path, parent_path), msg)
 
         # importing EB_R class from easybuild.easyblocks.r works fine
-        run_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'")
+        run_shell_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'", hidden=True)
 
         # importing a non-existing module fails
         err_msg = "No module named .*"
@@ -163,7 +166,7 @@ def write_module(path, txt):
             self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(repo_path, parent_path), msg)
 
         # importing EB_R class from easybuild.easyblocks.r still works fine
-        run_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'")
+        run_shell_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'", hidden=True)
 
         # custom easyblocks override existing easyblocks (with custom easyblocks repo first in $PYTHONPATH)
         for software in ['GCC', 'R']:
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ def write_module(path, txt):
             self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(custom_easyblocks_repo_path, parent_path), msg)
 
         # importing EB_R class from easybuild.easyblocks.r still works fine
-        run_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'")
+        run_shell_cmd("python -c 'from easybuild.easyblocks.r import EB_R'", hidden=True)
 
 
 def suite():
diff --git a/test/easyblocks/module.py b/test/easyblocks/module.py
index ddd891a0cb..027578370f 100644
--- a/test/easyblocks/module.py
+++ b/test/easyblocks/module.py
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ def test_make_module_pythonpackage(self):
         print(which('python'))
 
         # create module file
-        app.make_module_step()
+        with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
+            app.make_module_step()
 
         remove_file(python)
 
@@ -227,8 +228,8 @@ def test_pythonpackage_pick_python_cmd(self):
         """Test pick_python_cmd function from pythonpackage.py."""
         from easybuild.easyblocks.generic.pythonpackage import pick_python_cmd
         self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd() is not None)
-        self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd(2) is not None)
-        self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd(2, 6) is not None)
+        self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd(3) is not None)
+        self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd(3, 6) is not None)
         self.assertTrue(pick_python_cmd(123, 456) is None)
 
 
@@ -356,7 +357,8 @@ def template_module_only_test(self, easyblock, name, version='1.3.2', extra_txt=
         # run all steps, most should be skipped
         orig_workdir = os.getcwd()
         try:
-            app.run_all_steps(run_test_cases=False)
+            with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
+                app.run_all_steps(run_test_cases=False)
         finally:
             change_dir(orig_workdir)