diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
index c579e67f819..19b53c05737 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
@@ -3236,20 +3236,3 @@ def test_relative_view_path_on_command_line_is_made_absolute(tmpdir, config):
         env("create", "--with-view", "view", "--dir", "env")
         environment = ev.Environment(os.path.join(".", "env"))
         assert os.path.samefile("view", environment.default_view.root)
-
-
-def test_environment_created_in_users_location(mutable_config, tmpdir):
-    """Test that an environment is created in a location based on the config"""
-    spack.config.set("config:environments_root", str(tmpdir.join("envs")))
-    env_dir = spack.config.get("config:environments_root")
-
-    assert tmpdir.strpath in env_dir
-    assert not os.path.isdir(env_dir)
-
-    dir_name = "user_env"
-    env("create", dir_name)
-    out = env("list")
-
-    assert dir_name in out
-    assert env_dir in ev.root(dir_name)
-    assert os.path.isdir(os.path.join(env_dir, dir_name))
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/mirror.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/mirror.py
index bbbed81e75d..a6f88307347 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/mirror.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/mirror.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def test_regression_8083(tmpdir, capfd, mock_packages, mock_fetch, config):
 
 @pytest.mark.regression("12345")
 def test_mirror_from_env(tmpdir, mock_packages, mock_fetch, config, mutable_mock_env_path):
-    mirror_dir = str(tmpdir.join("mirror_dir"))
+    mirror_dir = str(tmpdir)
     env_name = "test"
 
     env("create", env_name)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
index cf976d2673a..bd1e8a1b497 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
@@ -225,17 +225,8 @@ class TestUninstallFromEnv(object):
 
     @pytest.fixture
     def environment_setup(
-        self,
-        mutable_mock_env_path,
-        config,
-        mock_packages,
-        mutable_database,
-        install_mockery,
-        tmpdir,
+        self, mutable_mock_env_path, config, mock_packages, mutable_database, install_mockery
     ):
-        # make environments local to each instantiation of the fixture so they don't clash
-        # in parallel
-        spack.config.set("config:environments_root", str(tmpdir.join("envs")))
         TestUninstallFromEnv.env("create", "e1")
         e1 = spack.environment.read("e1")
         with e1:
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/config.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/config.py
index bda5214a373..1c798f2abcc 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/config.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/config.py
@@ -1027,7 +1027,6 @@ def test_good_env_yaml(tmpdir):
     config:
         verify_ssl: False
         dirty: False
-        environments_root: ~/my/env/location
     repos:
         - ~/my/repo/location
     mirrors:
@@ -1455,7 +1454,7 @@ def test_config_file_read_perms_failure(tmpdir, mutable_empty_config):
 def test_config_file_read_invalid_yaml(tmpdir, mutable_empty_config):
     """Test reading a configuration file with invalid (unparseable) YAML
     raises a ConfigFileError."""
-    filename = tmpdir.join("test.yaml")
+    filename = join_path(tmpdir.strpath, "test.yaml")
     with open(filename, "w") as f:
         f.write("spack:\nview")
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
index b5ef506ce6a..bf6e4e6b357 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
@@ -1551,14 +1551,14 @@ def get_rev():
     yield t
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
-def mutable_mock_env_path(tmpdir, mutable_config):
+@pytest.fixture()
+def mutable_mock_env_path(tmpdir_factory):
     """Fixture for mocking the internal spack environments directory."""
-    saved_path = ev.environment.default_env_path
-    mock_path = tmpdir.join("mock-env-path")
-    ev.environment.default_env_path = str(mock_path)
+    saved_path = ev.environment.env_path
+    mock_path = tmpdir_factory.mktemp("mock-env-path")
+    ev.environment.env_path = str(mock_path)
     yield mock_path
-    ev.environment.default_env_path = saved_path
+    ev.environment.env_path = saved_path
 
 
 @pytest.fixture()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
index 5c2d0433746..83538e7d717 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
@@ -108,24 +108,6 @@ def test_env_change_spec_in_matrix_raises_error(
     assert "Cannot directly change specs in matrices" in str(error)
 
 
-def test_environment_cant_modify_environments_root(tmpdir):
-    filename = str(tmpdir.join("spack.yaml"))
-    with open(filename, "w") as f:
-        f.write(
-            """\
-spack:
-  config:
-    environments_root: /a/black/hole
-  view: false
-  specs: []
-"""
-        )
-    with tmpdir.as_cwd():
-        with pytest.raises(ev.SpackEnvironmentError):
-            e = ev.Environment(tmpdir.strpath)
-            ev.activate(e)
-
-
 def test_activate_should_require_an_env():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         ev.activate(env="name")
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/util/spack_yaml.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/util/spack_yaml.py
index 03b53bbd65f..3c8c48a2bbc 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/util/spack_yaml.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/util/spack_yaml.py
@@ -38,12 +38,7 @@ def check_blame(element, file_name, line=None):
     if line is not None:
         annotation += ":%d" % line
 
-    try:
-        assert file_name in element_line
-    except Exception:
-        print(output)
-    finally:
-        assert file_name in element_line
+    assert file_name in element_line
 
 
 def test_config_blame(config):