diff --git a/plinth/tests/test_actions.py b/plinth/tests/test_actions.py
index 92fa0c741..1a3925e33 100644
--- a/plinth/tests/test_actions.py
+++ b/plinth/tests/test_actions.py
@@ -16,175 +16,169 @@
 #
 """
 Test module for actions utilities that modify configuration.
+
+Verify that privileged actions perform as expected. See actions.py for a full
+description of the expectations.
+
 """
 
 import os
+import pathlib
 import shutil
 import tempfile
-import unittest
+
+import pytest
 
 import apt_pkg
 from plinth import cfg
 from plinth.actions import run, superuser_run
 from plinth.errors import ActionError
 
-euid = os.geteuid()
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='module', autouse=True)
+def actions_test_setup():
+    """Setup a temporary directory for testing actions.
+
+    Copy system commands ``echo`` and ``id`` into actions directory during
+    testing.
+
+    """
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_directory:
+        old_actions_dir = cfg.actions_dir
+        cfg.actions_dir = str(tmp_directory)
+
+        actions_dir = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent / '../../actions'
+        shutil.copy(str(actions_dir / 'packages'), str(tmp_directory))
+        shutil.copy(str(actions_dir / 'test_path'), str(tmp_directory))
+        shutil.copy('/bin/echo', str(tmp_directory))
+        shutil.copy('/usr/bin/id', str(tmp_directory))
+
+        yield
+        cfg.actions_dir = old_actions_dir
 
 
-class TestActions(unittest.TestCase):
-    """Verify that privileged actions perform as expected.
+def notest_run_as_root():
+    """1. Privileged actions run as root. """
+    assert superuser_run('id', ['-ur'])[0].strip() == '0'  # user 0 is root
 
-    See actions.py for a full description of the expectations.
 
-    Symlink to ``echo`` and ``id`` during testing.
+def test_breakout_actions_dir():
+    """2. The actions directory can't be changed at run time.
+
+    Can't currently be tested, as the actions directory is hardcoded.
     """
 
-    @classmethod
-    def setUpClass(cls):
-        """Initial setup for all the classes."""
-        cls.action_directory = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
-        cls.actions_dir_factory = cfg.actions_dir
-        cfg.actions_dir = cls.action_directory.name
-        actions_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..', '..',
-            'actions')
 
-        shutil.copy(os.path.join(actions_dir, 'packages'), cfg.actions_dir)
-        shutil.copy(os.path.join(actions_dir, 'test_path'), cfg.actions_dir)
-        shutil.copy('/bin/echo', cfg.actions_dir)
-        shutil.copy('/usr/bin/id', cfg.actions_dir)
+def test_breakout_up():
+    """3A. Users can't call actions above the actions directory.
 
-    @classmethod
-    def tearDownClass(cls):
-        """Cleanup after all the tests are completed."""
-        cls.action_directory.cleanup()
-        cfg.actions_dir = cls.actions_dir_factory
+    Tests both a relative and a literal path.
+    """
+    for action in ('../echo', '/bin/echo'):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            run(action, ['hi'])
 
-    def notest_run_as_root(self):
-        """1. Privileged actions run as root. """
-        self.assertEqual(
-            '0',  # user 0 is root
-            superuser_run('id', ['-ur'])[0].strip())
 
-    def test_breakout_actions_dir(self):
-        """2. The actions directory can't be changed at run time.
+def test_breakout_down():
+    """3B. Users can't call actions beneath the actions directory."""
+    action = 'directory/echo'
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        superuser_run(action)
 
-        Can't currently be tested, as the actions directory is hardcoded.
-        """
-        pass
 
-    def test_breakout_up(self):
-        """3A. Users can't call actions above the actions directory.
+def test_breakout_actions():
+    """3C. Actions can't be used to run other actions.
 
-        Tests both a relative and a literal path.
-        """
-        for action in ('../echo', '/bin/echo'):
-            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-                run(action, ['hi'])
+    If multiple actions are specified, bail out.
+    """
+    # Counting is safer than actual badness.
+    actions = ('echo ""; echo $((1+1))', 'echo "" && echo $((1+1))',
+               'echo "" || echo $((1+1))')
+    options = ('good', '')
 
-    def test_breakout_down(self):
-        """3B. Users can't call actions beneath the actions directory."""
-        action = 'directory/echo'
-
-        self.assertRaises(ValueError, superuser_run, action)
-
-    def test_breakout_actions(self):
-        """3C. Actions can't be used to run other actions.
-
-        If multiple actions are specified, bail out.
-        """
-        # Counting is safer than actual badness.
-        actions = ('echo ""; echo $((1+1))', 'echo "" && echo $((1+1))',
-                   'echo "" || echo $((1+1))')
-        options = ('good', '')
-
-        for action in actions:
-            for option in options:
-                with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-                    run(action, [option])
-
-    def test_breakout_option_string(self):
-        """3D. Option strings can't be used to run other actions.
-
-        Verify that shell control characters aren't interpreted.
-        """
-        options = ('; echo hello', '&& echo hello', '|| echo hello',
-                   '& echo hello', r'\; echo hello', '| echo hello',
-                   r':;!&\/$%@`"~#*(){}[]|+=')
+    for action in actions:
         for option in options:
-            output = run('echo', [option])
-            output = output.rstrip('\n')
-            self.assertEqual(option, output)
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+                run(action, [option])
 
-    def test_breakout_option_list(self):
-        """3D. Option lists can't be used to run other actions.
 
-        Verify that shell control characters aren't interpreted in
-        option lists.
-        """
-        option_lists = (
-            (';', 'echo', 'hello'),
-            ('&&', 'echo', 'hello'),
-            ('||', 'echo', 'hello'),
-            ('&', 'echo', 'hello'),
-            (r'\;', 'echo'
-             'hello'),
-            ('|', 'echo', 'hello'),
-            ('', 'echo', '', 'hello'),  # Empty option argument
-            tuple(r':;!&\/$%@`"~#*(){}[]|+='))
-        for options in option_lists:
-            output = run('echo', options)
-            output = output.rstrip('\n')
-            expected_output = ' '.join(options)
-            self.assertEqual(output, expected_output)
+def test_breakout_option_string():
+    """3D. Option strings can't be used to run other actions.
 
-    def test_multiple_options_and_output(self):
-        """4. Multiple options can be provided as a list or as a tuple.
-
-        5. Output is returned from the command.
-        """
-        options = '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9'
-
-        output = run('echo', options.split())
+    Verify that shell control characters aren't interpreted.
+    """
+    options = ('; echo hello', '&& echo hello', '|| echo hello',
+               '& echo hello', r'\; echo hello', '| echo hello',
+               r':;!&\/$%@`"~#*(){}[]|+=')
+    for option in options:
+        output = run('echo', [option])
         output = output.rstrip('\n')
-        self.assertEqual(options, output)
+        assert option == output
 
-        output = run('echo', tuple(options.split()))
+
+def test_breakout_option_list():
+    """3D. Option lists can't be used to run other actions.
+
+    Verify that shell control characters aren't interpreted in
+    option lists.
+    """
+    option_lists = (
+        (';', 'echo', 'hello'),
+        ('&&', 'echo', 'hello'),
+        ('||', 'echo', 'hello'),
+        ('&', 'echo', 'hello'),
+        (r'\;', 'echo'
+         'hello'),
+        ('|', 'echo', 'hello'),
+        ('', 'echo', '', 'hello'),  # Empty option argument
+        tuple(r':;!&\/$%@`"~#*(){}[]|+='))
+    for options in option_lists:
+        output = run('echo', options)
         output = output.rstrip('\n')
-        self.assertEqual(options, output)
+        expected_output = ' '.join(options)
+        assert output == expected_output
 
-    @unittest.skipUnless(euid == 0, 'Needs to be root')
-    def test_is_package_manager_busy(self):
-        """Test the behavior of `is-package-manager-busy` in both locked and
-        unlocked states of the dpkg lock file."""
 
-        apt_pkg.init()  # initialize apt_pkg module
+def test_multiple_options_and_output():
+    """4. Multiple options can be provided as a list or as a tuple.
 
-        # In the locked state, the lsof command returns 0.
-        # Hence no error is thrown.
-        with apt_pkg.SystemLock():
-            superuser_run('packages', ['is-package-manager-busy'])
+    5. Output is returned from the command.
+    """
+    options = '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9'
 
-        # In the unlocked state, the lsof command returns 1.
-        # An ActionError is raised in this case.
-        with self.assertRaises(ActionError):
-            superuser_run('packages', ['is-package-manager-busy'])
+    output = run('echo', options.split())
+    output = output.rstrip('\n')
+    assert options == output
 
-    @unittest.skipUnless(euid == 0, 'Needs to be root')
-    def test_action_path(self):
-        """Test that in development mode, python action scripts get the
-        correct PYTHONPATH"""
-        try:
-            cfg.develop = True
-            self._clear_env()
-            plinth_path = run('test_path').strip()
-            su_plinth_path = superuser_run('test_path').strip()
-            self.assertTrue(plinth_path.startswith(cfg.root))
-            self.assertEquals(plinth_path, su_plinth_path)
-        finally:
-            cfg.develop = False
+    output = run('echo', tuple(options.split()))
+    output = output.rstrip('\n')
+    assert options == output
 
-    def _clear_env(self):
-        try:
-            del os.environ['PYTHONPATH']
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures('needs_root')
+def test_is_package_manager_busy():
+    """Test the behavior of `is-package-manager-busy` in both locked and
+    unlocked states of the dpkg lock file."""
+
+    apt_pkg.init()  # initialize apt_pkg module
+
+    # In the locked state, the lsof command returns 0.
+    # Hence no error is thrown.
+    with apt_pkg.SystemLock():
+        superuser_run('packages', ['is-package-manager-busy'])
+
+    # In the unlocked state, the lsof command returns 1.
+    # An ActionError is raised in this case.
+    with pytest.raises(ActionError):
+        superuser_run('packages', ['is-package-manager-busy'])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures('develop_mode', 'needs_root')
+def test_action_path(monkeypatch):
+    """Test that in development mode, python action scripts get the
+    correct PYTHONPATH"""
+    monkeypatch.setitem(os.environ, 'PYTHONPATH', '')
+    plinth_path = run('test_path').strip()
+    su_plinth_path = superuser_run('test_path').strip()
+    assert plinth_path.startswith(cfg.root)
+    assert plinth_path == su_plinth_path