diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
index 8d8f28b0d8..4397312c2f 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
@@ -571,12 +571,10 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
         self.content_store.find(location)
 
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        try:
-            export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course_key, root_dir, 'test_export')
-            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, root_dir)
+        export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course_key, root_dir, 'test_export')
+        self.assertTrue(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
+        self.assertTrue(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
 
     @patch('xmodule.tabs.CourseTab.from_json', side_effect=mock_tab_from_json)
     def test_export_course_image_nondefault(self, _from_json):
@@ -588,12 +586,10 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
         assert_true(course.course_image, 'just_a_test.jpg')
 
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        try:
-            export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course.id, root_dir, 'test_export')
-            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/just_a_test.jpg').isfile())
-            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, root_dir)
+        export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course.id, root_dir, 'test_export')
+        self.assertTrue(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/just_a_test.jpg').isfile())
+        self.assertFalse(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
 
     def test_course_without_image(self):
         """
@@ -602,12 +598,10 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
         """
         course = self.draft_store.get_course(SlashSeparatedCourseKey('edX', 'simple_with_draft', '2012_Fall'))
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        try:
-            export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course.id, root_dir, 'test_export')
-            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, root_dir)
+        export_course_to_xml(self.draft_store, self.content_store, course.id, root_dir, 'test_export')
+        self.assertFalse(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
+        self.assertFalse(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
 
     def _create_test_tree(self, name, user_id=None):
         """
@@ -728,15 +722,13 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
         self.assertEqual(unicode(component.link_to_location), unicode(problem_location))
 
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, root_dir)
 
         # export_course_to_xml should work.
-        try:
-            export_course_to_xml(
-                self.draft_store, self.content_store, interface_location.course_key,
-                root_dir, 'test_export'
-            )
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        export_course_to_xml(
+            self.draft_store, self.content_store, interface_location.course_key,
+            root_dir, 'test_export'
+        )
 
     def test_draft_modulestore_create_child_with_position(self):
         """
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/tests/test_dump_course.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/tests/test_dump_course.py
index 9a04bb2505..ee10293ad7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/tests/test_dump_course.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/tests/test_dump_course.py
@@ -175,14 +175,12 @@ class CommandsTestBase(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
     def test_export_course(self):
         tmp_dir = path(mkdtemp())
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, tmp_dir)
         filename = tmp_dir / 'test.tar.gz'
-        try:
-            self.run_export_course(filename)
-            with tarfile.open(filename) as tar_file:
-                self.check_export_file(tar_file)
 
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(tmp_dir)
+        self.run_export_course(filename)
+        with tarfile.open(filename) as tar_file:
+            self.check_export_file(tar_file)
 
     def test_export_course_stdout(self):
         output = self.run_export_course('-')
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/management/tests/test_email_opt_in_list.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/management/tests/test_email_opt_in_list.py
index a776687292..f3c320c0db 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/management/tests/test_email_opt_in_list.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/management/tests/test_email_opt_in_list.py
@@ -331,11 +331,7 @@ class EmailOptInListTest(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         # Create a temporary directory for the output
         # Delete it when we're finished
         temp_dir_path = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-
-        def _cleanup():  # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
-            shutil.rmtree(temp_dir_path)
-
-        self.addCleanup(_cleanup)
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, temp_dir_path)
 
         # Sanitize the arguments
         if other_names is None: