diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/getArchives.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/getArchives.php
index 532254fa5e..b39f7dbb6d 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/getArchives.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/functions/getArchives.php
@@ -127,11 +127,9 @@ EOF;
 	}
 
 	function test_wp_get_archives_echo() {
-		$expected['echo'] = "<li><a href='" . $this->month_url . "'>" . date( 'F Y' ) . '</a></li>';
-		ob_start();
+		$expected['echo'] = "\t<li><a href='" . $this->month_url . "'>" . date( 'F Y' ) . '</a></li>' . "\n";
+		$this->expectOutputString( $expected['echo'] );
 		wp_get_archives( array( 'echo' => true ) );
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-		$this->assertEquals( $expected['echo'], trim( $actual ) );
 	}
 
 	function test_wp_get_archives_order() {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/listPages.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/listPages.php
index 6954c52da5..1261d909b1 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/listPages.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/listPages.php
@@ -238,10 +238,8 @@ class Tests_List_Pages extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 <li class="page_item page-item-2 page_item_has_children"><a href="' . get_permalink( 2 ) . '">Parent 2</a></li>
 <li class="page_item page-item-3 page_item_has_children"><a href="' . get_permalink( 3 ) . '">Parent 3</a></li>
 </ul></li>';
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( $expected['echo'] );
 		wp_list_pages( $args );
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-		$this->AssertEquals( $expected['echo'], $actual );
 	}
 
 	function test_wp_list_pages_authors() {
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
index d159839819..aad293affa 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/post/thumbnails.php
@@ -141,10 +141,8 @@ class Tests_Post_Thumbnail_Template extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		set_post_thumbnail( $post_id, $attachment_id );
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( $caption );
 		the_post_thumbnail_caption( $post_id );
-
-		$this->assertEquals( $caption, ob_get_clean() );
 	}
 
 	function test_get_the_post_thumbnail() {
@@ -166,19 +164,14 @@ class Tests_Post_Thumbnail_Template extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	function test_the_post_thumbnail() {
-		ob_start();
-		the_post_thumbnail();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
 
-		$this->assertEquals( '', $actual );
+		$this->expectOutputString( '' );
+		the_post_thumbnail();
 
 		$GLOBALS['post'] = self::$post;
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( '' );
 		the_post_thumbnail();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$this->assertEquals( '', $actual );
 
 		set_post_thumbnail( self::$post, self::$attachment_id );
 
@@ -188,11 +181,8 @@ class Tests_Post_Thumbnail_Template extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 			)
 		);
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( $expected );
 		the_post_thumbnail();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$this->assertEquals( $expected, $actual );
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -233,25 +223,13 @@ class Tests_Post_Thumbnail_Template extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 	function test_the_post_thumbnail_url() {
 		$GLOBALS['post'] = self::$post;
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( '' );
 		the_post_thumbnail_url();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$this->assertEmpty( $actual );
-
-		ob_start();
-		the_post_thumbnail_url();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$this->assertEmpty( $actual );
 
 		set_post_thumbnail( self::$post, self::$attachment_id );
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( wp_get_attachment_url( self::$attachment_id ) );
 		the_post_thumbnail_url();
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$this->assertEquals( wp_get_attachment_url( self::$attachment_id ), $actual );
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/taxonomy.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/taxonomy.php
index 579f648667..d651b121ff 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/taxonomy.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/taxonomy.php
@@ -66,13 +66,11 @@ class Tests_Taxonomy extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 	function test_the_taxonomies() {
 		$post_id = self::factory()->post->create();
 
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( sprintf(
+			'Categories: <a href="%s">Uncategorized</a>.',
+			get_category_link( 1 )
+		) );
 		the_taxonomies( array( 'post' => $post_id ) );
-		$output = ob_get_clean();
-
-		$link     = get_category_link( 1 );
-		$expected = 'Categories: <a href="' . $link . '">Uncategorized</a>.';
-		$this->assertEquals( $expected, $output );
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/user/listAuthors.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/user/listAuthors.php
index 497b0fb6b5..1568c34680 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/user/listAuthors.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/user/listAuthors.php
@@ -161,10 +161,8 @@ class Tests_User_ListAuthors extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 	function test_wp_list_authors_echo() {
 		$expected['echo'] = '<li><a href="' . self::$user_urls[1] . '" title="Posts by bob">bob</a></li><li><a href="' . self::$user_urls[2] . '" title="Posts by paul">paul</a></li><li><a href="' . self::$user_urls[0] . '" title="Posts by zack">zack</a></li>';
-		ob_start();
+		$this->expectOutputString( $expected['echo'] );
 		wp_list_authors( array( 'echo' => true ) );
-		$actual = ob_get_clean();
-		$this->AssertEquals( $expected['echo'], $actual );
 	}
 
 	function test_wp_list_authors_feed() {