diff --git a/_pytest/pytester.py b/_pytest/pytester.py
index 9bb040691..09517e8ff 100644
--- a/_pytest/pytester.py
+++ b/_pytest/pytester.py
@@ -238,6 +238,13 @@ class RunResult:
                         d[cat] = int(num)
                     return d
 
+    def assertoutcome(self, passed=0, skipped=0, failed=0):
+        d = self.parseoutcomes()
+        assert passed == d.get("passed", 0)
+        assert skipped == d.get("skipped", 0)
+        assert failed == d.get("failed", 0)
+
+
 class TmpTestdir:
     """Temporary test directory with tools to test/run py.test itself.
 
@@ -872,6 +879,7 @@ class LineComp:
         lines1 = val.split("\n")
         return LineMatcher(lines1).fnmatch_lines(lines2)
 
+
 class LineMatcher:
     """Flexible matching of text.
 
diff --git a/testing/python/collect.py b/testing/python/collect.py
index eb8fad1f9..6629d0833 100644
--- a/testing/python/collect.py
+++ b/testing/python/collect.py
@@ -58,14 +58,10 @@ class TestClass:
             class TestClass1:
                 def __init__(self):
                     pass
-            class TestClass2(object):
-                def __init__(self):
-                    pass
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest("-rw")
-        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines("""
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines_random("""
             WC1*test_class_with_init_warning.py*__init__*
-            *2 warnings*
         """)
 
     def test_class_subclassobject(self, testdir):
diff --git a/testing/python/metafunc.py b/testing/python/metafunc.py
index cbff9adfe..700e0a790 100644
--- a/testing/python/metafunc.py
+++ b/testing/python/metafunc.py
@@ -375,9 +375,7 @@ class TestMetafuncFunctional:
                     assert metafunc.cls == TestClass
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest(p, "-v")
-        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
-            "*2 passed in*",
-        ])
+        result.assertoutcome(passed=2)
 
     def test_addcall_with_two_funcargs_generators(self, testdir):
         testdir.makeconftest("""
diff --git a/testing/test_config.py b/testing/test_config.py
index 8ea23e97b..160276d93 100644
--- a/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/testing/test_config.py
@@ -368,9 +368,8 @@ class TestWarning:
             def pytest_configure(config):
                 config.warn("C1", "hello")
             def pytest_logwarning(code, message):
-                assert code == "C1"
-                assert message == "hello"
-                l.append(1)
+                if message == "hello" and code == "C1":
+                    l.append(1)
         """)
         testdir.makepyfile("""
             def test_proper(pytestconfig):
@@ -391,15 +390,13 @@ class TestWarning:
                 pass
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest()
-        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines("""
-            *1 warning*
-        """)
+        assert result.parseoutcomes()["warnings"] > 0
         assert "hello" not in result.stdout.str()
+
         result = testdir.runpytest("-rw")
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines("""
             ===*warning summary*===
             *WT1*test_warn_on_test_item*:5*hello*
-            *1 warning*
         """)
 
 class TestRootdir:
diff --git a/testing/test_nose.py b/testing/test_nose.py
index fac7a5d93..af878da78 100644
--- a/testing/test_nose.py
+++ b/testing/test_nose.py
@@ -339,9 +339,7 @@ def test_SkipTest_during_collection(testdir):
             assert False
         """)
     result = testdir.runpytest(p)
-    outcome = result.parseoutcomes()
-    outcome.pop('seconds')
-    assert outcome == dict(skipped=1)
+    result.assertoutcome(skipped=1)
 
 
 def test_SkipTest_in_test(testdir):
diff --git a/testing/test_terminal.py b/testing/test_terminal.py
index 8e273e147..61fca0b59 100644
--- a/testing/test_terminal.py
+++ b/testing/test_terminal.py
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ class TestTerminalFunctional:
                 py.std.sys.platform, verinfo,
                 py.__version__, pytest.__version__),
             "*test_header_trailer_info.py .",
-            "=* 1 passed in *.[0-9][0-9] seconds *=",
+            "=* 1 passed*in *.[0-9][0-9] seconds *=",
         ])
         if pytest.config.pluginmanager._plugin_distinfo:
             result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 9f683c46f..682289413 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ basepython=python3.3
 deps={[testenv:py27-xdist]deps}
 commands=
   py.test -n3 -rfsxX \
-        --junitxml={envlogdir}/junit-{envname}.xml testing
+        --junitxml={envlogdir}/junit-{envname}.xml {posargs:testing}
 
 [testenv:py27-pexpect]
 changedir=testing