diff --git a/swh/loader/core/tests/test_utils.py b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_utils.py
index 34a3478..f0f89ca 100644
--- a/swh/loader/core/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -1,111 +1,102 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2019  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import os
 
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from swh.loader.core.utils import clean_dangling_folders
 
 
 def prepare_arborescence_from(tmpdir, folder_names):
     """Prepare arborescence tree with folders
 
     Args:
         tmpdir (Either[LocalPath, str]): Root temporary directory
         folder_names (List[str]): List of folder names
 
     Returns:
         List of folders
     """
     dangling_folders = []
     for dname in folder_names:
         d = str(tmpdir / dname)
         os.mkdir(d)
         dangling_folders.append(d)
     return str(tmpdir), dangling_folders
 
 
 def assert_dirs(actual_dirs, expected_dirs):
     """Assert that the directory actual and expected match
 
     """
     for d in actual_dirs:
         assert d in expected_dirs
     assert len(actual_dirs) == len(expected_dirs)
 
 
 def test_clean_dangling_folders_0(tmpdir):
     """Folder does not exist, do nothing"""
     r = clean_dangling_folders('/path/does/not/exist', 'unused-pattern')
     assert r is None
 
 
-@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists')
+@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists', return_value=False)
 def test_clean_dangling_folders_1(mock_pid_exists, tmpdir):
-    """Folder which matches pattern with pid dead are cleaned up
+    """Folder which matches pattern with dead pid are cleaned up
 
     """
-    # pid is dead
-    mock_pid_exists.return_value = False
-
     rootpath, dangling = prepare_arborescence_from(tmpdir, [
         'something',
         'swh.loader.svn-4321.noisynoise',
     ])
 
     clean_dangling_folders(rootpath, 'swh.loader.svn')
 
     actual_dirs = os.listdir(rootpath)
     mock_pid_exists.assert_called_once_with(4321)
     assert_dirs(actual_dirs, ['something'])
 
 
-@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists')
+@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists', return_value=True)
 def test_clean_dangling_folders_2(mock_pid_exists, tmpdir):
-    """Folder which matches pattern with pid alive are skipped
+    """Folder which matches pattern with live pid are skipped
 
     """
-    # pid is live
-    mock_pid_exists.return_value = True
-
     rootpath, dangling = prepare_arborescence_from(tmpdir, [
         'something',
         'swh.loader.hg-1234.noisynoise',
     ])
 
     clean_dangling_folders(rootpath, 'swh.loader.hg')
 
     actual_dirs = os.listdir(rootpath)
     mock_pid_exists.assert_called_once_with(1234)
     assert_dirs(actual_dirs, [
         'something', 'swh.loader.hg-1234.noisynoise',
     ])
 
 
-@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists')
-@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.shutil.rmtree')
+@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.psutil.pid_exists',
+       return_value=False)
+@patch('swh.loader.core.utils.shutil.rmtree',
+       side_effect=ValueError('Could not remove for reasons'))
 def test_clean_dangling_folders_3(mock_rmtree, mock_pid_exists, tmpdir):
     """Error in trying to clean dangling folders are skipped
 
     """
-    # pid is dead, we can clean up
-    mock_pid_exists.return_value = False
-    # for some reason, this fails to remove the dangling folder
-    mock_rmtree.side_effect = ValueError('Could not remove for reasons')
-
     path1 = 'thingy'
     path2 = 'swh.loader.git-1468.noisy'
     rootpath, dangling = prepare_arborescence_from(tmpdir, [
         path1,
         path2,
     ])
 
     clean_dangling_folders(rootpath, 'swh.loader.git')
 
     actual_dirs = os.listdir(rootpath)
     mock_pid_exists.assert_called_once_with(1468)
     mock_rmtree.assert_called_once_with(os.path.join(rootpath, path2))
     assert_dirs(actual_dirs, [path2, path1])