diff --git a/doc/ext/cli_reference.py b/doc/ext/cli_reference.py
index 8735baab..d894eac6 100644
--- a/doc/ext/cli_reference.py
+++ b/doc/ext/cli_reference.py
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ from docutils.parsers import rst
 from rally.cli import cliutils
 from rally.cli import main
 from rally.cli import manage
-from utils import (category, subcategory, hint, make_definition, note,
-                   paragraph, parse_text, warning)
+import utils
 
 
 class Parser(object):
@@ -73,22 +72,24 @@ DEFAULT_UUIDS_CMD = {
 
 def compose_note_about_default_uuids(argument, dest):
     # TODO(andreykurilin): add references to commands
-    return note("The default value for the ``%(arg)s`` argument is taken from "
-                "the Rally environment. Usually, the default value is equal to"
-                " the UUID of the last successful run of ``%(cmd)s``, if the "
-                "``--no-use`` argument was not used." % {
-                    "arg": argument,
-                    "cmd": "``, ``".join(DEFAULT_UUIDS_CMD[dest])})
+    return utils.note(
+        "The default value for the ``%(arg)s`` argument is taken from "
+        "the Rally environment. Usually, the default value is equal to"
+        " the UUID of the last successful run of ``%(cmd)s``, if the "
+        "``--no-use`` argument was not used." % {
+            "arg": argument,
+            "cmd": "``, ``".join(DEFAULT_UUIDS_CMD[dest])})
 
 
 def compose_use_cmd_hint_msg(cmd):
-    return hint("You can set the default value by executing ``%(cmd)s <uuid>``"
-                " (ref__).\n\n __ #%(ref)s" % {"cmd": cmd,
-                                               "ref": cmd.replace(" ", "-")})
+    return utils.hint(
+        "You can set the default value by executing ``%(cmd)s <uuid>``"
+        " (ref__).\n\n __ #%(ref)s" % {"cmd": cmd,
+                                       "ref": cmd.replace(" ", "-")})
 
 
 def make_arguments_section(category_name, cmd_name, arguments, defaults):
-    elements = [paragraph("**Command arguments**:")]
+    elements = [utils.paragraph("**Command arguments**:")]
     for args, kwargs in arguments:
         # for future changes...
         # :param args: a single command argument which can represented by
@@ -109,14 +110,14 @@ def make_arguments_section(category_name, cmd_name, arguments, defaults):
             # "use" command with reference
             if dest in ("deployment", "task"):
                 description.append(compose_note_about_default_uuids(
-                        args[0], dest))
+                    args[0], dest))
                 description.append(
-                        compose_use_cmd_hint_msg("rally %s use" % dest))
+                    compose_use_cmd_hint_msg("rally %s use" % dest))
             elif dest == "verification":
                 description.append(compose_note_about_default_uuids(
-                        args[0], dest))
+                    args[0], dest))
                 description.append(
-                        compose_use_cmd_hint_msg("rally verify use"))
+                    compose_use_cmd_hint_msg("rally verify use"))
 
         description.append(kwargs.get("help"))
 
@@ -138,7 +139,8 @@ def make_arguments_section(category_name, cmd_name, arguments, defaults):
         if metavar:
             args = ["%s %s" % (arg, metavar) for arg in args]
 
-        elements.extend(make_definition(", ".join(args), ref, description))
+        elements.extend(utils.make_definition(", ".join(args),
+                                              ref, description))
     return elements
 
 
@@ -154,8 +156,8 @@ def make_command_section(category_name, name, parser):
     # NOTE(andreykurilin): there is only one category in rally-manage, so
     # let's just hardcode it.
     cmd = "rally-manage" if category_name == "db" else "rally"
-    section = subcategory("%s %s %s" % (cmd, category_name, name))
-    section.extend(parse_text(parser["description"]))
+    section = utils.subcategory("%s %s %s" % (cmd, category_name, name))
+    section.extend(utils.parse_text(parser["description"]))
     if parser["parser"].arguments:
         defaults = get_defaults(parser["parser"].defaults["action_fn"])
         section.extend(make_arguments_section(
@@ -164,7 +166,7 @@ def make_command_section(category_name, name, parser):
 
 
 def make_category_section(name, parser):
-    category_obj = category("Category: %s" % name)
+    category_obj = utils.category("Category: %s" % name)
     # NOTE(andreykurilin): we are re-using `_add_command_parsers` method from
     # `rally.cli.cliutils`, but, since it was designed to print help message,
     # generated description for categories contains specification for all
@@ -177,9 +179,9 @@ def make_category_section(name, parser):
     if description.startswith("[Deprecated"):
         i = description.find("]")
         msg = description[1:i]
-        description = description[i+1:].strip()
-        category_obj.append(warning(msg))
-    category_obj.extend(parse_text(description))
+        description = description[i + 1:].strip()
+        category_obj.append(utils.warning(msg))
+    category_obj.extend(utils.parse_text(description))
 
     for command in sorted(parser.subparser.parsers.keys()):
         subparser = parser.subparser.parsers[command]
@@ -196,14 +198,14 @@ class CLIReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
         categories = copy.copy(main.categories)
         categories["db"] = manage.DBCommands
         if "group" in self.options:
-            categories = {k: v for k,v in categories.items()
+            categories = {k: v for k, v in categories.items()
                           if k == self.options["group"]}
         cliutils._add_command_parsers(categories, parser)
 
         content = []
-        for category in sorted(categories.keys()):
+        for cg in sorted(categories.keys()):
             content.append(make_category_section(
-                category, parser.parsers[category]["parser"]))
+                cg, parser.parsers[cg]["parser"]))
         return content
 
 
diff --git a/doc/ext/include_vars.py b/doc/ext/include_vars.py
index 2655dca3..08777b37 100644
--- a/doc/ext/include_vars.py
+++ b/doc/ext/include_vars.py
@@ -21,27 +21,26 @@ from oslo_utils import importutils
 
 def include_var(name, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options=None,
                 content=None):
-    """
-
+    """include variable
 
     :param name: The local name of the interpreted role, the role name
-        actually used in the document.
+                 actually used in the document.
     :param rawtext: A string containing the enitre interpreted text input,
-        including the role and markup. Return it as a problematic node
-        linked to a system message if a problem is encountered.
+                    including the role and markup. Return it as a problematic
+                    node linked to a system message if a problem is
+                    encountered.
     :param text: The interpreted text content.
     :param lineno: The line number where the interpreted text begins.
     :param inliner: The docutils.parsers.rst.states.Inliner object that
-        called include_var. It contains the several attributes useful for
-        error reporting and document tree access.
+                    called include_var. It contains the several attributes
+                    useful for error reporting and document tree access.
     :param options: A dictionary of directive options for customization
-        (from the "role" directive), to be interpreted by the role function.
-        Used for additional attributes for the generated elements and other
-        functionality.
+                    (from the 'role' directive), to be interpreted by the
+                    role function. Used for additional attributes for the
+                    generated elements and other functionality.
     :param content: A list of strings, the directive content for
-        customization (from the "role" directive). To be interpreted by the
-        role function.
-
+                    customization (from the 'role' directive). To be
+                    interpreted by the role function.
     :return:
     """
     obj = importutils.import_class(text)
diff --git a/doc/ext/plugin_reference.py b/doc/ext/plugin_reference.py
index 5ac734ed..dccbe10c 100644
--- a/doc/ext/plugin_reference.py
+++ b/doc/ext/plugin_reference.py
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ import re
 from rally.common.plugin import discover
 from rally.common.plugin import plugin
 from rally import plugins
-from utils import category, subcategory, section, paragraph, parse_text, \
-    make_definitions, note
+import utils
 
 
 JSON_SCHEMA_TYPES_MAP = {"boolean": "bool",
@@ -210,26 +209,26 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
             if "type" in item:
                 iname += " (%s)" % item["type"]
             terms.append((iname, [item["doc"]]))
-        return make_definitions(title=title,
-                                ref_prefix=ref_prefix,
-                                terms=terms,
-                                descriptions=description)
+        return utils.make_definitions(title=title,
+                                      ref_prefix=ref_prefix,
+                                      terms=terms,
+                                      descriptions=description)
 
     def _make_plugin_section(self, plugin_cls, base_name=None):
         section_name = plugin_cls.get_name()
         if base_name:
             section_name += " [%s]" % base_name
-        section_obj = section(section_name)
+        section_obj = utils.section(section_name)
 
         info = plugin_cls.get_info()
         if info["title"]:
-            section_obj.append(paragraph(info["title"]))
+            section_obj.append(utils.paragraph(info["title"]))
 
         if info["description"]:
-            section_obj.extend(parse_text(info["description"]))
+            section_obj.extend(utils.parse_text(info["description"]))
 
         if info["namespace"]:
-            section_obj.append(paragraph(
+            section_obj.append(utils.paragraph(
                 "**Namespace**: %s" % info["namespace"]))
 
         if base_name:
@@ -242,7 +241,7 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
                                                     ref_prefix))
 
         if info["returns"]:
-            section_obj.extend(parse_text(
+            section_obj.extend(utils.parse_text(
                 "**Returns**:\n%s" % info["returns"]))
 
         if info["schema"]:
@@ -259,8 +258,9 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
                         description=["*Dictionary is expected. Keys should "
                                      "follow pattern(s) described bellow.*"]))
                 elif "oneOf" in schema:
-                    section_obj.append(note("One of the following groups of "
-                                            "parameters should be provided."))
+                    section_obj.append(utils.note(
+                        "One of the following groups of "
+                        "parameters should be provided."))
                     for i, oneOf in enumerate(schema["oneOf"], 1):
                         description = None
                         if oneOf.get("doc", None):
@@ -279,15 +279,15 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
 
         filename = info["module"].replace(".", "/")
         ref = "https://github.com/openstack/rally/blob/master/%s.py" % filename
-        section_obj.extend(parse_text("**Module**:\n`%s`__\n\n__ %s"
-                                          % (info["module"], ref)))
+        section_obj.extend(utils.parse_text("**Module**:\n`%s`__\n\n__ %s"
+                           % (info["module"], ref)))
         return section_obj
 
     def _make_plugin_base_section(self, base_cls, base_name=None):
         if base_name:
             title = ("%ss" % base_name if base_name[-1] != "y"
                      else "%sies" % base_name[:-1])
-            subcategory_obj = subcategory(title)
+            subcategory_obj = utils.subcategory(title)
         else:
             subcategory_obj = []
         for p in sorted(base_cls.get_all(), key=lambda o: o.get_name()):
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
     @staticmethod
     def _parse_class_name(cls):
         name = ""
-        for word in re.split(r'([A-Z][a-z]*)', cls.__name__):
+        for word in re.split(r"([A-Z][a-z]*)", cls.__name__):
             if word:
                 if len(word) > 1 and name:
                     name += " "
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ class PluginsReferenceDirective(rst.Directive):
             if base_name in IGNORED_BASES:
                 continue
             if category_name not in categories:
-                categories[category_name] = category(category_name)
+                categories[category_name] = utils.category(category_name)
             category_of_base = categories[category_name]
             category_of_base.append(self._make_plugin_base_section(base_cls,
                                                                    base_name))
diff --git a/doc/ext/utils.py b/doc/ext/utils.py
index 634822a4..25f38b3d 100644
--- a/doc/ext/utils.py
+++ b/doc/ext/utils.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ Docutils is awful library. Let's apply some hacks and aliases to simplify usage
 
 from docutils import frontend
 from docutils import nodes
-from docutils import utils
 from docutils.parsers import rst
+from docutils import utils
 import string
 
 import six
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ import six
 
 def parse_text(text):
     parser = rst.Parser()
-    settings = frontend.OptionParser(components=(rst.Parser,)).get_default_values()
+    settings = frontend.OptionParser(
+        components=(rst.Parser,)).get_default_values()
     document = utils.new_document(text, settings)
     parser.parse(text, document)
     return document.children
@@ -45,8 +46,8 @@ def make_definition(term, ref, descriptions):
     """Constructs definition with reference to it."""
     ref = ref.replace("_", "-").replace(" ", "-")
     definition = parse_text(
-            ".. _%(ref)s:\n\n* *%(term)s* [ref__]\n\n__ #%(ref)s" %
-            {"ref": ref, "term": term})
+        ".. _%(ref)s:\n\n* *%(term)s* [ref__]\n\n__ #%(ref)s" %
+        {"ref": ref, "term": term})
     for descr in descriptions:
         if descr:
             if isinstance(descr, (six.text_type, six.binary_type)):
diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index 414e6363..edb01f3c 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 # All configuration values have a default; values that are commented out
 # serve to show the default.
 
-import datetime
+import datetime as dt
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -31,20 +31,20 @@ import rally.common.version
 # If extensions (or modules to document with autodoc) are in another directory,
 # add these directories to sys.path here. If the directory is relative to the
 # documentation root, use os.path.abspath to make it absolute, like shown here.
-#sys.path.extend([
-#    os.path.abspath("../.."),
-#    os.path.abspath("../"),
-#    os.path.abspath("./")
-#])
+# sys.path.extend([
+#     os.path.abspath("../.."),
+#     os.path.abspath("../"),
+#     os.path.abspath("./")
+# ])
 
-sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('../../'))
-sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('../'))
-sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('./'))
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath("../../"))
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath("../"))
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath("./"))
 
 
 # -- General configuration ----------------------------------------------------
 
-on_rtd = os.environ.get('READTHEDOCS') == 'True'
+on_rtd = os.environ.get("READTHEDOCS") == "True"
 
 # If your documentation needs a minimal Sphinx version, state it here.
 # needs_sphinx = "1.0"
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ master_doc = "index"
 
 # General information about the project.
 project = u"Rally"
-copyright = u"%d, OpenStack Foundation" % datetime.datetime.now().year
+copyright = u"%d, OpenStack Foundation" % dt.datetime.now().year
 
 # The version info for the project you're documenting, acts as replacement for
 # |version| and |release|, also used in various other places throughout the
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ else:
 # Add any paths that contain custom themes here, relative to this directory.
 if not on_rtd:
     import oslosphinx
-    theme_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(oslosphinx.__file__), 'theme')
+    theme_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(oslosphinx.__file__), "theme")
     html_theme_path = [theme_dir, "_templates"]
 else:
     html_theme_path = []
@@ -181,14 +181,14 @@ else:
 git_cmd = [
     "git", "log", "--pretty=format:'%ad, commit %h'", "--date=local", "-n1"]
 html_last_updated_fmt = subprocess.Popen(
-        git_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
+    git_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
 
 # If true, SmartyPants will be used to convert quotes and dashes to
 # typographically correct entities.
 html_use_smartypants = False
 
 # Custom sidebar templates, maps document names to template names.
-html_sidebars = {'**': ['searchbox.html', 'globaltoc.html']}
+html_sidebars = {"**": ["searchbox.html", "globaltoc.html"]}
 
 # Additional templates that should be rendered to pages, maps page names to
 # template names.
@@ -227,14 +227,12 @@ htmlhelp_basename = "%sdoc" % project
 # -- Options for LaTeX output -------------------------------------------------
 
 latex_elements = {
-# The paper size ("letterpaper" or "a4paper").
-#"papersize": "letterpaper",
-
-# The font size ("10pt", "11pt" or "12pt").
-#"pointsize": "10pt",
-
-# Additional stuff for the LaTeX preamble.
-#"preamble": "",
+    # The paper size ("letterpaper" or "a4paper").
+    # "papersize": "letterpaper",
+    # The font size ("10pt", "11pt" or "12pt").
+    # "pointsize": "10pt",
+    # Additional stuff for the LaTeX preamble.
+    # "preamble": "",
 }
 
 # Grouping the document tree into LaTeX files. List of tuples
@@ -286,9 +284,10 @@ latex_documents = [
 # (source start file, target name, title, author,
 #  dir menu entry, description, category)
 texinfo_documents = [
-  ("index", "Rally", u"Rally Documentation",
-   u"Rally Team", "Rally", "Testing framework and tool for all kinds of tests",
-   "Development"),
+    ("index", "Rally", u"Rally Documentation",
+     u"Rally Team", "Rally",
+     "Testing framework and tool for all kinds of tests",
+     "Development"),
 ]
 
 # Documents to append as an appendix to all manuals.
diff --git a/tests/unit/doc/test_docstrings.py b/tests/unit/doc/test_docstrings.py
index 481ee833..34d2a0da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/doc/test_docstrings.py
+++ b/tests/unit/doc/test_docstrings.py
@@ -13,13 +13,9 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
-from rally import plugins
-from rally.common.plugin import discover
 from rally.common.plugin import info
 from rally.common.plugin import plugin
-from rally.deployment import engine
-from rally.deployment.serverprovider import provider
-from rally.task import sla
+from rally import plugins
 from tests.unit import test
 
 EXCEPTIONS_DOCSTR = "missed_docstrings.txt"
@@ -28,7 +24,6 @@ EXCEPTIONS_FORMAT = "wrong_format.txt"
 
 class DocstringsTestCase(test.TestCase):
 
-
     def setUp(self):
         super(DocstringsTestCase, self).setUp()
         plugins.load()
diff --git a/tests/unit/doc/test_format.py b/tests/unit/doc/test_format.py
index 2f126d36..dafb4c68 100644
--- a/tests/unit/doc/test_format.py
+++ b/tests/unit/doc/test_format.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class TestFormat(testtools.TestCase):
         docs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.pardir,
                                 os.pardir, os.pardir, "doc")
         for root, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(docs_dir):
-            for filename in fnmatch.filter(filenames, '*.rst'):
+            for filename in fnmatch.filter(filenames, "*.rst"):
                 files.append(os.path.join(root, filename))
 
         for filename in files:
diff --git a/tests/unit/doc/test_specs.py b/tests/unit/doc/test_specs.py
index 9b2d5efe..2a68f5cc 100644
--- a/tests/unit/doc/test_specs.py
+++ b/tests/unit/doc/test_specs.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class TitlesTestCase(test.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(
                 len(line) < 80,
                 msg="%s:%d: Line limited to a maximum of 79 characters." %
-                (tpl, i+1))
+                (tpl, i + 1))
 
     def _check_no_cr(self, tpl, raw):
         matches = re.findall("\r", raw)
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class TitlesTestCase(test.TestCase):
             trailing_spaces = re.findall(" +$", line)
             self.assertEqual(
                 len(trailing_spaces), 0,
-                "Found trailing spaces on line %s of %s" % (i+1, tpl))
+                "Found trailing spaces on line %s of %s" % (i + 1, tpl))
 
     def test_template(self):
         with open(os.path.join(self.specs_path, "template.rst")) as f:
diff --git a/tests/unit/doc/test_task_samples.py b/tests/unit/doc/test_task_samples.py
index 65422ec8..79c395ff 100644
--- a/tests/unit/doc/test_task_samples.py
+++ b/tests/unit/doc/test_task_samples.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ import traceback
 import yaml
 
 from rally import api
-from rally.task import scenario
 from rally.task import engine
+from rally.task import scenario
 from tests.unit import test
 
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 25db346f..50c48911 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ commands = python {toxinidir}/tests/ci/sync_requirements.py {posargs}
 [flake8]
 ignore = H703,H105
 show-source = true
-exclude=.venv,.git,.tox,dist,doc,*lib/python*,*egg,tools,build,setup.py
+exclude=.venv,.git,.tox,dist,*lib/python*,*egg,tools,build,setup.py
 
 [hacking]
 import_exceptions = rally.common.i18n