diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py b/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
index 9c89c0ec..d22e278a 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
@@ -77,15 +77,10 @@ def _mockservice(request, app, url=False):
         'admin': True,
     }
     if url:
-        spec['url'] = 'http://127.0.0.1:%i' % random_port(),
+        spec['url'] = 'http://127.0.0.1:%i' % random_port()
 
     with mock.patch.object(jupyterhub.services.service, '_ServiceSpawner', MockServiceSpawner):
-        app.services = [{
-            'name': name,
-            'command': mockservice_cmd,
-            'url': 'http://127.0.0.1:%i' % random_port(),
-            'admin': True,
-        }]
+        app.services = [spec]
         app.init_services()
         app.io_loop.add_callback(app.proxy.add_all_services, app._service_map)
         assert name in app._service_map
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/mockservice.py b/jupyterhub/tests/mockservice.py
index 4d377a56..d0cbf368 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/mockservice.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/mockservice.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class OWhoAmIHandler(HubOAuthenticated, web.RequestHandler):
 def main():
     pprint.pprint(dict(os.environ), stream=sys.stderr)
 
-    if os.environ['JUPYTERHUB_SERVICE_URL']:
+    if os.getenv('JUPYTERHUB_SERVICE_URL'):
         url = urlparse(os.environ['JUPYTERHUB_SERVICE_URL'])
         app = web.Application([
             (r'.*/env', EnvHandler),
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
index 980c4875..f1e715f0 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/test_api.py
@@ -723,7 +723,8 @@ def test_group_delete_users(app):
 
 
 @mark.services
-def test_get_services(app, mockservice):
+def test_get_services(app, mockservice_url):
+    mockservice = mockservice_url
     db = app.db
     r = api_request(app, 'services')
     r.raise_for_status()
@@ -748,7 +749,8 @@ def test_get_services(app, mockservice):
 
 
 @mark.services
-def test_get_service(app, mockservice):
+def test_get_service(app, mockservice_url):
+    mockservice = mockservice_url
     db = app.db
     r = api_request(app, 'services/%s' % mockservice.name)
     r.raise_for_status()