diff --git a/tests/test_administration.py b/tests/test_administration.py
index 6187da465d19db729fbdba9c8e50c51a15ab7b28..7f3b6c51ab2ad50d5ed14609bd537c73bf3b8128 100644
--- a/tests/test_administration.py
+++ b/tests/test_administration.py
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ from caosdb import administration as admin, Info, get_config
 from caosdb.connection.connection import configure_connection, get_connection
 from caosdb.exceptions import (HTTPClientError, HTTPForbiddenError,
                                LoginFailedError, HTTPResourceNotFoundError)
-from nose.tools import (assert_equal, assert_is_not_none, assert_raises,
-                        assert_true)
 from pytest import raises
 
 test_role = "test_role"
@@ -118,20 +116,17 @@ def test_insert_role_failure_name_duplicates():
     assert Info().user_info.name == get_config().get("Connection", "username")
     assert Info().user_info.roles == ["administration"]
     test_insert_role_success()
-    with assert_raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
+    with raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
         admin._insert_role(name=test_role, description=test_role_desc)
-    assert_equal(
-        cm.exception.msg,
-        "Role name is already in use. Choose a different name.")
+    assert cm.value.msg == "Role name is already in use. Choose a different name."
 
 
 def test_update_role_success():
     test_insert_role_success()
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._update_role(
-            name=test_role,
-            description=test_role_desc +
-            "asdf"))
+    assert admin._update_role(
+        name=test_role,
+        description=test_role_desc +
+        "asdf") is not None
 
 
 def test_update_role_failure_permissions():
@@ -150,7 +145,7 @@ def test_update_role_failure_non_existing():
 
 def test_delete_role_success():
     test_insert_role_success()
-    assert_true(admin._delete_role(name=test_role))
+    assert admin._delete_role(name=test_role)
 
 
 def test_delete_role_failure_permissions():
@@ -170,7 +165,7 @@ def test_delete_role_failure_non_existing():
 def test_retrieve_role_success():
     test_insert_role_success()
     r = admin._retrieve_role(test_role)
-    assert_is_not_none(r)
+    assert r is not None
 
 
 def test_retrieve_role_failure_permission():
@@ -189,13 +184,12 @@ def test_retrieve_role_failure_non_existing():
 
 def test_set_permissions_success():
     test_insert_role_success()
-    assert_true(
-        admin._set_permissions(
-            role=test_role,
-            permission_rules=[
-                admin.PermissionRule(
-                    "Grant",
-                    "BLA:BLA:BLA")]))
+    assert admin._set_permissions(
+        role=test_role,
+        permission_rules=[
+            admin.PermissionRule(
+                "Grant",
+                "BLA:BLA:BLA")])
 
 
 def test_set_permissions_failure_permissions():
@@ -221,8 +215,8 @@ def test_set_permissions_failure_non_existing():
 def test_get_permissions_success():
     test_set_permissions_success()
     r = admin._get_permissions(role=test_role)
-    assert_equal({admin.PermissionRule("Grant", "BLA:BLA:BLA")}, r)
-    assert_is_not_none(r)
+    assert {admin.PermissionRule("Grant", "BLA:BLA:BLA")} == r
+    assert r is not None
 
 
 def test_get_permissions_failure_permissions():
@@ -242,7 +236,7 @@ def test_get_permissions_failure_non_existing():
 def test_get_roles_success():
     test_insert_role_success()
     r = admin._get_roles(username=test_user)
-    assert_is_not_none(r)
+    assert r is not None
 
     return r
 
@@ -265,17 +259,17 @@ def test_set_roles_success():
     roles_old = test_get_roles_success()
     roles = {test_role}
     roles.union(roles_old)
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles_old))
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles))
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles_old))
+    assert admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles_old) is not None
+    assert admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles) is not None
+    assert admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles_old) is not None
 
 
 def test_set_roles_success_with_warning():
     test_insert_role_success()
     roles = {test_role}
     r = admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles)
-    assert_is_not_none(r)
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=[]))
+    assert r is not None
+    assert admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=[]) is not None
 
 
 def test_set_roles_failure_permissions():
@@ -290,9 +284,9 @@ def test_set_roles_failure_permissions():
 
 def test_set_roles_failure_non_existing_role():
     roles = {"non-existing-role"}
-    with assert_raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
+    with raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
         admin._set_roles(username=test_user, roles=roles)
-    assert_equal(cm.exception.msg, "Role does not exist.")
+    assert cm.value.msg == "Role does not exist."
 
 
 def test_set_roles_failure_non_existing_user():
@@ -326,14 +320,14 @@ def test_insert_user_failure_permissions():
 
 def test_insert_user_failure_name_in_use():
     test_insert_user_success()
-    with assert_raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
+    with raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
         test_insert_user_success()
-    assert_equal(cm.exception.msg, "User name is already in use.")
+    assert cm.value.msg == "This user name is already in use. Please choose another one."
 
 
 def test_delete_user_success():
     test_insert_user_success()
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._delete_user(name=test_user + "2"))
+    assert admin._delete_user(name=test_user + "2") is not None
 
 
 def test_delete_user_failure_permissions():
@@ -351,13 +345,12 @@ def test_delete_user_failure_non_existing():
 
 
 def test_update_user_success_status():
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._insert_user(
-            name=test_user + "2",
-            password="secret1P!",
-            status="INACTIVE",
-            email="email@example.com",
-            entity=None))
+    assert admin._insert_user(
+        name=test_user + "2",
+        password="secret1P!",
+        status="INACTIVE",
+        email="email@example.com",
+        entity=None) is not None
     admin._update_user(
         realm=None,
         name=test_user + "2",
@@ -368,13 +361,12 @@ def test_update_user_success_status():
 
 
 def test_update_user_success_email():
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._insert_user(
-            name=test_user + "2",
-            password="secret1P!",
-            status="ACTIVE",
-            email="email@example.com",
-            entity=None))
+    assert admin._insert_user(
+        name=test_user + "2",
+        password="secret1P!",
+        status="ACTIVE",
+        email="email@example.com",
+        entity=None) is not None
     admin._update_user(
         realm=None,
         name=test_user + "2",
@@ -385,25 +377,23 @@ def test_update_user_success_email():
 
 
 def test_update_user_success_entity():
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._insert_user(
-            name=test_user + "2",
-            password="secret1P!",
-            status="ACTIVE",
-            email="email@example.com",
-            entity=None))
+    assert admin._insert_user(
+        name=test_user + "2",
+        password="secret1P!",
+        status="ACTIVE",
+        email="email@example.com",
+        entity=None) is not None
     admin._update_user(realm=None, name=test_user + "2", password=None,
                        status=None, email=None, entity="21")
 
 
 def test_update_user_success_password():
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._insert_user(
-            name=test_user + "2",
-            password="secret1P!",
-            status="ACTIVE",
-            email="email@example.com",
-            entity=None))
+    assert admin._insert_user(
+        name=test_user + "2",
+        password="secret1P!",
+        status="ACTIVE",
+        email="email@example.com",
+        entity=None) is not None
     admin._update_user(
         realm=None,
         name=test_user + "2",
@@ -507,7 +497,7 @@ def test_update_user_failure_non_existing_entity():
 
 def test_retrieve_user_success():
     test_insert_user_success()
-    assert_is_not_none(admin._retrieve_user(realm=None, name=test_user + "2"))
+    assert admin._retrieve_user(realm=None, name=test_user + "2") is not None
 
 
 def test_retrieve_user_failure_permissions():
@@ -525,14 +515,13 @@ def test_retrieve_user_failure_non_existing():
 
 
 def test_login_with_inactive_user_failure():
-    assert_is_not_none(
-        admin._insert_user(
-            name=test_user + "2",
-            password="secret1P!",
-            status="INACTIVE",
-            email="email@example.com",
-            entity=None))
+    assert admin._insert_user(
+        name=test_user + "2",
+        password="secret1P!",
+        status="INACTIVE",
+        email="email@example.com",
+        entity=None) is not None
     configure_connection(username=test_user + "2", password="secret1P!",
                          password_method="plain")
-    with assert_raises(LoginFailedError):
+    with raises(LoginFailedError):
         get_connection()._login()
diff --git a/tests/test_issues_server.py b/tests/test_issues_server.py
index 2de8ece365cb3c6eab2ae2fe9a51c40174b0d236..454bd10642ecd33925f99a4c3f1c15a47f48d0bb 100644
--- a/tests/test_issues_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_issues_server.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import time
 import caosdb as db
 from caosdb import administration as admin
 import pytest
-from caosdb.exceptions import TransactionError
+from caosdb.exceptions import TransactionError, HTTPClientError
 
 CURATOR_ROLE = "curator"
 
@@ -943,3 +943,58 @@ def test_147():
     rec3 = db.Record("TestRec3").add_parent("TestRT").add_property("TestPropInt", 1).insert()
     assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WITH TestPropInt < 2", unique=True).id == rec3.id
     assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WITH TestPropInt < 2.5", unique=True).id == rec3.id
+
+
+def test_142():
+    """https://gitlab.com/caosdb/caosdb-server/-/issues/142"""
+    valid_names = [
+        "with.dot",
+        "with-hyphen",
+        "with_underbar",
+        "with0number",
+        "withAcapital",
+        ".withleadingdot",
+        "Bwithleadingcapital",
+        "1withleadingnumber",
+        "_withleadingunderbar",
+        "withtrailingcapitalC",
+        "withtrailingnumber2",
+        "withtrailingunderbar_",
+        "withtrailinghyphen-",
+        "withtrailingdot.",
+        "4",
+        "_",
+        "D",
+        "d",
+        ".",
+    ]
+    invalid_names = [
+        "-",
+        "-leadinghyphen",
+        "",
+        "%",
+        "/",
+        "[asdf]",
+        "?",
+        '"',
+    ]
+    for name in valid_names:
+        admin._insert_user(
+            name=name,
+            password="Password1!",
+            status="ACTIVE",
+            email=None,
+            entity=None)
+        admin._delete_user(name=name)
+    for name in invalid_names:
+        with pytest.raises(HTTPClientError) as cm:
+            admin._insert_user(
+                name=name,
+                password="Password1!",
+                status="ACTIVE",
+                email=None,
+                entity=None)
+            admin._delete_user(name=name)
+        assert cm.value.status == 400
+        assert cm.value.msg.startswith(
+            "The user name does not comply with the policies for user names")
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index f35d49661a551f6ee336d85e4477233905da1515..fe433d0c36d42ff552f9e812772f34a9e5bac047 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ from .test_misc import test_info
 test_user = "test_user"
 test_role = "test_role"
 test_pw = "passphrase1P!"
-easy_pw = "1234"
 
 
 def setup_module():
@@ -120,14 +119,6 @@ def insert_test_user():
     except BaseException:
         pass
 
-    with assert_raises(db.HTTPClientError) as cee:
-        db.administration._insert_user(
-            name=test_user,
-            password=easy_pw,
-            status="ACTIVE")
-    assert_equal(cee.exception.status, 422,
-                 "Easy password should raise a 422 error.")
-
     db.administration._insert_user(
         name=test_user,
         password=test_pw,