diff --git a/HACKING.rst b/HACKING.rst
index 86a95d97b..5b6e235d7 100644
--- a/HACKING.rst
+++ b/HACKING.rst
@@ -56,12 +56,13 @@ Example::
 
 Imports
 -------
+- Only modules may be imported
 - Do not make relative imports
 - Order your imports by the full module path
-- Import of classes is just allowed inside __init__ files.
-- Organize your imports according to the following template
+- Classes and functions may be hoisted into a package namespace, via __init__ files, with some discretion.
+- Organize your imports according to the template given below
 
-Example::
+Template::
 
   {{stdlib imports in human alphabetical order}}
   \n
diff --git a/marconi/tests/storage/base.py b/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
index 59665469f..54c3d3ada 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/storage/base.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 from marconi import storage
 from marconi.storage import exceptions
 from marconi.tests import util as testing
-from marconi.tests.util import helpers
 
 
 class ControllerBaseTest(testing.TestBase):
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
         [msg1, msg2] = msgs
 
         # A wrong claim does not ensure the message deletion
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.NotPermitted):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.NotPermitted):
             self.controller.delete(self.queue_name, msg1["id"],
                                    project=self.project,
                                    claim=another_cid)
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
                                project=self.project,
                                claim=cid)
 
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.get(self.queue_name, msg1["id"],
                                 project=self.project)
 
@@ -224,7 +223,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
         self.claim_controller.delete(self.queue_name, cid,
                                      project=self.project)
 
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.NotPermitted):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.NotPermitted):
             self.controller.delete(self.queue_name, msg2["id"],
                                    project=self.project,
                                    claim=cid)
@@ -236,7 +235,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
                                        project=self.project,
                                        client_uuid='my_uuid')
 
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.get(self.queue_name, msgid,
                                 project=self.project)
 
@@ -255,7 +254,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
 
         self.assertEquals(len(msgs), 0)
 
-        with helpers.expected(exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.get('unused', 'illformed', '480924')
 
     def test_illformed_claim(self):
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ class MessageControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
                                        project='480924',
                                        client_uuid='unused')
 
-        with helpers.expected(exceptions.NotPermitted):
+        with testing.expect(exceptions.NotPermitted):
             self.controller.delete('unused', msgid,
                                    project='480924',
                                    claim='illformed')
@@ -354,11 +353,11 @@ class ClaimControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
         claim_id, messages = self.controller.create(self.queue_name, meta,
                                                     project=self.project)
 
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.get(self.queue_name, claim_id,
                                 project=self.project)
 
-        with helpers.expected(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(storage.exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.update(self.queue_name, claim_id,
                                    meta, project=self.project)
 
@@ -368,7 +367,7 @@ class ClaimControllerTest(ControllerBaseTest):
         self.queue_controller.upsert('unused', {}, '480924')
         self.controller.delete('unused', 'illformed', '480924')
 
-        with helpers.expected(exceptions.DoesNotExist):
+        with testing.expect(exceptions.DoesNotExist):
             self.controller.update('unused', 'illformed',
                                    {'ttl': 40}, '480924')
 
diff --git a/marconi/tests/test_config.py b/marconi/tests/test_config.py
index d1cfa8ac7..cf46c4933 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/test_config.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 from marconi.common import config
 from marconi.tests import util as testing
-from marconi.tests.util import helpers
 
 
 cfg_handle = config.project()
@@ -36,5 +35,5 @@ class TestConfig(testing.TestBase):
 
     def test_wrong_type(self):
         ns = config.namespace('local')
-        with helpers.expected(config.cfg.Error):
+        with testing.expect(config.cfg.Error):
             ns.from_options(opt={})
diff --git a/marconi/tests/util/__init__.py b/marconi/tests/util/__init__.py
index f8bc08d06..6a566a6cc 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/util/__init__.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/util/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Test utilities"""
 
 from marconi.tests.util import base
-
+from marconi.tests.util import helpers
 
 TestBase = base.TestBase
+expect = helpers.expect
diff --git a/marconi/tests/util/helpers.py b/marconi/tests/util/helpers.py
index f42f51ea3..270d2ef0f 100644
--- a/marconi/tests/util/helpers.py
+++ b/marconi/tests/util/helpers.py
@@ -17,7 +17,24 @@ import contextlib
 
 
 @contextlib.contextmanager
-def expected(*exc_type):
+def expect(*exc_type):
+    """A context manager to validate raised expections.
+
+    Can be used as an alternative to testtools.ExpectedException.
+
+    Notable differences:
+        1. This context manager accepts child classes of the
+           given type, testing that an "except" statement
+           referencing the given type would indeed catch it when
+           raised by the statement(s) defined inside the context.
+        2. When the expected exception (or a child thereof) is
+           not raised, this context manager *always* raises
+           an AssertionError, both when a different exception
+           is raised, and when no exception is raised at all.
+
+    :param *exc_type: Exception type(s) expected to be raised during
+        execution of the "with" context.
+    """
     assert len(exc_type) > 0
 
     try: