diff --git a/tests/test_empty_text_value.py b/tests/test_empty_text_value.py
index baa69cdcd3935c2040428edc375391f4941027c3..784da6aee31c19025d1dff92b4c585de0058ebdf 100644
--- a/tests/test_empty_text_value.py
+++ b/tests/test_empty_text_value.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import pytest
 
 import caosdb as db
 
+
 def setup():
     teardown()
     rt = db.RecordType("TestRT")
@@ -30,12 +31,14 @@ def setup():
     p = db.Property("TestProp", datatype=db.TEXT)
     p.insert()
 
+
 def teardown():
     try:
         db.execute_query("FIND Test*").delete()
     except Exception as e:
         print(e)
 
+
 def test_empty_string():
     r1 = db.Record()
     r1.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -43,21 +46,27 @@ def test_empty_string():
     r1.insert()
 
     # value was stored correctly
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT", unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == ""
+    assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT", unique=True).get_property(
+        "TestProp").value == ""
     # query language works for empty string
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
-    assert db.execute_query('FIND TestRT with TestProp=""', unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == ""
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query('FIND TestRT with TestProp=""',
+                            unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == ""
 
     r2 = db.Record()
     r2.add_parent("TestRT")
     r2.add_property("TestProp", value="not empty")
     r2.insert()
 
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp='not empty'", unique=True).id == r2.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp='not empty'", unique=True).id == r2.id
     # query language work while other records with non empty values are present
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
     assert len(db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT")) == 2
 
+
 def test_null_value():
     r1 = db.Record()
     r1.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -68,7 +77,8 @@ def test_null_value():
     assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT",
                             unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == None
     # query language works with null value
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
 
     # add a bit of noise
     r2 = db.Record()
@@ -76,11 +86,14 @@ def test_null_value():
     r2.add_property("TestProp", value="null")
     r2.insert()
 
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp='null'", unique=True).id == r2.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp='null'", unique=True).id == r2.id
     # query language works while other record with non-null values are present
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
     assert len(db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT")) == 2
 
+
 def test_list_with_empty_string():
     r1 = db.Record()
     r1.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -91,7 +104,8 @@ def test_list_with_empty_string():
     assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT",
                             unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == [""]
     # query language works
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
 
     r2 = db.Record()
     r2.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -99,8 +113,11 @@ def test_list_with_empty_string():
     r2.insert()
     assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT with TestProp='leer'",
                             unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == ["leer"]
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp='leer'", unique=True).id == r2.id
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp='leer'", unique=True).id == r2.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT with TestProp=''", unique=True).id == r1.id
+
 
 def test_null_list():
     r1 = db.Record()
@@ -111,7 +128,8 @@ def test_null_list():
     # null list was stored correctly
     assert db.execute_query("FIND Record TestRT",
                             unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == None
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r1.id
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skip(reason="""this is the confirmation for
@@ -145,4 +163,3 @@ def test_list_with_null_value():
                             unique=True).get_property("TestProp").value == [None]
     # assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WHERE TestProp IS NULL", unique=True).id == r.id
     r.delete()
-
diff --git a/tests/test_query.py b/tests/test_query.py
index d95aa8ac0be31c9debb5f312332087ef4d910905..301b57a2655d9c284fecacf25fb00b4037fb9d39 100644
--- a/tests/test_query.py
+++ b/tests/test_query.py
@@ -860,7 +860,6 @@ def test_stored_at_wildcards():
     assert c.get_entity_by_id(file8.id) is not None
 
 
-
 @with_setup(setup, teardown)
 def test_int():
     pint = h.Property(name="TestIntegerProperty", datatype=h.INTEGER).insert()