diff --git a/tests/test_state.py b/tests/test_state.py
index ab734071b69e6578633fdbb8827a668ba078aac2..490b091f9d6c1585cb80d4d288a35e1f88e0ebb2 100644
--- a/tests/test_state.py
+++ b/tests/test_state.py
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import pytest
 import caosdb as db
 
+
 def teardown_module():
     d = db.execute_query("FIND ENTITY WITH ID > 99")
     if len(d) > 0:
         d.delete(flags={"forceFinalState": "true"})
 
+
 def setup_module():
     teardown_module()
     db.RecordType("State").insert()
@@ -20,25 +22,43 @@ def setup_module():
     db.Record("State2").add_parent("State").insert()
     db.Record("State3").add_parent("State").insert()
     # 1->
-    db.Record("Transition1").add_parent("Transition").add_property("from", "State1").add_property("to", "State2").insert()
+    db.Record("Transition1").add_parent("Transition").add_property(
+        "from", "State1").add_property("to", "State2").insert()
     # 2->3
-    db.Record("Transition2").add_parent("Transition").add_property("from", "State2").add_property("to", "State3").insert()
+    db.Record("Transition2").add_parent("Transition").add_property(
+        "from", "State2").add_property("to", "State3").insert()
     # 3->1
-    db.Record("Transition3").add_parent("Transition").add_property("from", "State3").add_property("to", "State1").insert()
+    db.Record("Transition3").add_parent("Transition").add_property(
+        "from", "State3").add_property("to", "State1").insert()
     # 2->2
-    db.Record("Transition4").add_parent("Transition").add_property("from", "State2").add_property("to", "State2").insert()
+    db.Record("Transition4").add_parent("Transition").add_property(
+        "from", "State2").add_property("to", "State2").insert()
+
+    db.Record("Model1").add_parent("StateModel").add_property(
+        "Transition",
+        datatype=db.LIST("Transition"),
+        value=[
+            "Transition1",
+            "Transition2",
+            "Transition3",
+            "Transition4"]).add_property(
+        "initial",
+        "State1").add_property(
+                "final",
+        "State1").insert()
 
-    db.Record("Model1").add_parent("StateModel").add_property("Transition", datatype=db.LIST("Transition"), value=["Transition1", "Transition2", "Transition3", "Transition4"]).add_property("initial", "State1").add_property("final", "State1").insert()
 
 def teardown():
     d = db.execute_query("FIND TestRT")
     if len(d) > 0:
         d.delete(flags={"forceFinalState": "true"})
 
+
 def setup():
     teardown()
     db.RecordType("TestRT").insert()
 
+
 def test_state_message():
     rec = db.Record()
     rec.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -53,6 +73,7 @@ def test_state_message():
     assert rec_retrieve.get_property("State") is None
     assert rec_retrieve.state == rec.state
 
+
 def test_state_query():
     rec = db.Record()
     rec.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -60,7 +81,10 @@ def test_state_query():
     rec.insert()
     assert rec.get_property("State") is None
 
-    assert db.execute_query("FIND TestRT WITH State = State1", unique=True).id == rec.id
+    assert db.execute_query(
+        "FIND TestRT WITH State = State1",
+        unique=True).id == rec.id
+
 
 def test_state_transition():
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -74,6 +98,7 @@ def test_state_transition():
     rec_retrieve = db.Record.retrieve(rec.id)
     assert rec_retrieve.state == rec_update.state
 
+
 def test_transition_not_allowed():
     """unallowed transitions return errors and do not update the entity"""
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -83,14 +108,17 @@ def test_transition_not_allowed():
 
     rec_insert.state = db.State(model="Model1", name="State3")
     with pytest.raises(db.TransactionError):
-        rec_update = rec_insert.update(sync=False, raise_exception_on_error=False)
+        rec_update = rec_insert.update(
+            sync=False, raise_exception_on_error=False)
         assert len(rec_update.get_errors()) == 1
-        assert rec_update.get_errors()[0].description == "Transition not allowed."
+        assert rec_update.get_errors(
+        )[0].description == "Transition not allowed."
         db.common.models.raise_errors(rec_update)
 
     rec_retrieve = db.Record.retrieve(rec_insert.id)
     assert rec_retrieve.state == rec.state
 
+
 def test_wrong_initial():
     """the first state has to be an initial state"""
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -102,6 +130,7 @@ def test_wrong_initial():
     assert len(rec.get_errors()) == 1
     assert rec.get_errors()[0].description == "Initial state not allowed."
 
+
 def test_wrong_final():
     """deletion of the entity or the state is only possible in final states"""
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -124,6 +153,7 @@ def test_wrong_final():
     rec.update()
     rec.delete()
 
+
 def test_multiple_states():
     """currently, only one state is allowed"""
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -131,10 +161,12 @@ def test_multiple_states():
 
     state1 = db.State(model="Model1", name="State1")
     state2 = db.State(model="Model1", name="State2")
+
     class TestState:
         def to_xml(self, xml):
             xml.append(state1.to_xml())
             xml.append(state2.to_xml())
+
         def clear_server_messages(self):
             pass
     rec.messages = TestState()
@@ -142,6 +174,7 @@ def test_multiple_states():
         rec_insert = rec.insert(sync=False)
         print(rec_insert)
 
+
 def test_broken_state_missing_model():
     rec = db.Record()
     rec.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -151,6 +184,7 @@ def test_broken_state_missing_model():
     assert len(rec.get_errors()) == 1
     assert rec.get_errors()[0].description == "State model not specified."
 
+
 def test_broken_state_missing_state_name():
     rec = db.Record()
     rec.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -160,6 +194,7 @@ def test_broken_state_missing_state_name():
     assert len(rec.get_errors()) == 1
     assert rec.get_errors()[0].description == "State not specified."
 
+
 def test_state_not_in_state_model():
     rec = db.Record()
     rec.add_parent("TestRT")
@@ -167,7 +202,9 @@ def test_state_not_in_state_model():
     with pytest.raises(db.TransactionError):
         rec.insert()
     assert len(rec.get_errors()) == 1
-    assert rec.get_errors()[0].description == "State does not exist in this StateModel."
+    assert rec.get_errors()[
+        0].description == "State does not exist in this StateModel."
+
 
 def test_transition_with_out_state_change():
     rec = db.Record()
@@ -177,12 +214,14 @@ def test_transition_with_out_state_change():
     rec_insert = rec.insert(sync=False)
 
     # first update attempt (should fail, because 1->1 not allowed)
-    rec_insert.description="updated description 1"
+    rec_insert.description = "updated description 1"
     with pytest.raises(db.TransactionError):
         # transition 1 -> 1 not allowed
-        rec_update = rec_insert.update(sync=False, raise_exception_on_error=False)
+        rec_update = rec_insert.update(
+            sync=False, raise_exception_on_error=False)
         assert len(rec_update.get_errors()) == 1
-        assert rec_update.get_errors()[0].description == "Transition not allowed."
+        assert rec_update.get_errors(
+        )[0].description == "Transition not allowed."
         db.common.models.raise_errors(rec_update)
 
     # second update with transition to state2