diff --git a/spec/client_spec.rb b/spec/client_spec.rb
index 7c0a436..a899725 100644
--- a/spec/client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/client_spec.rb
@@ -3,24 +3,20 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::client' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
   describe 'ubuntu' do
+    include_context 'database-stubs'
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(UBUNTU_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) { runner.converge(described_recipe) }
 
     it 'uses mysql database client recipe by default' do
-      chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS
-      chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::client'
-
       expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client'
     end
 
     it 'uses postgresql database client recipe when configured' do
-      chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS
-      node = chef_run.node
       node.set['openstack']['db']['service_type'] = 'postgresql'
       node.set['postgresql']['password']['postgres'] = 'secret'
 
-      chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::client'
-
       expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-client'
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/mysql-client-suse_spec.rb b/spec/mysql-client-suse_spec.rb
index 803edb4..89f3983 100644
--- a/spec/mysql-client-suse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mysql-client-suse_spec.rb
@@ -2,16 +2,14 @@
 
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
-describe 'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-client' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
+describe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client' do
   describe 'suse' do
-    before do
-      @chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::SUSE_OPTS
-      @chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client'
-    end
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(SUSE_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) { runner.converge(described_recipe) }
 
     it 'installs mysql packages' do
-      expect(@chef_run).to install_package 'python-mysql'
+      expect(chef_run).to install_package('python-mysql')
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/mysql-client_spec.rb b/spec/mysql-client_spec.rb
index 09ff29b..53795d0 100644
--- a/spec/mysql-client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mysql-client_spec.rb
@@ -3,20 +3,19 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
+  include_context 'database-stubs'
   describe 'ubuntu' do
-    before do
-      @chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS
-      @chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client'
-    end
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(UBUNTU_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) { runner.converge(described_recipe) }
 
     it 'includes mysql recipes' do
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::ruby'
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::client'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::ruby'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::client'
     end
 
     it 'installs mysql packages' do
-      expect(@chef_run).to install_package 'python-mysqldb'
+      expect(chef_run).to install_package 'python-mysqldb'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/mysql-server-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/mysql-server-redhat_spec.rb
index 2c1aee9..51406cb 100644
--- a/spec/mysql-server-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mysql-server-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -3,21 +3,21 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-server' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
   describe 'redhat' do
-    before do
-      @chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new(::REDHAT_OPTS) do |n|
-        n.set['mysql'] = {
-          'server_debian_password' => 'server-debian-password',
-          'server_root_password' => 'server-root-password',
-          'server_repl_password' => 'server-repl-password'
-        }
-      end
-      @chef_run.converge described_recipe
+    include_context 'database-stubs'
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(REDHAT_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) do
+      node.set_unless['mysql'] = {
+        'server_debian_password' => 'server-debian-password',
+        'server_root_password' => 'server-root-password',
+        'server_repl_password' => 'server-repl-password'
+      }
+      runner.converge(described_recipe)
     end
 
     it 'modifies my.cnf template to notify mysql restart' do
-      file = @chef_run.template 'final-my.cnf'
+      file = chef_run.template('final-my.cnf')
       expect(file).to notify('service[mysql]').to(:restart)
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/mysql-server_spec.rb b/spec/mysql-server_spec.rb
index cdba344..e236f7f 100644
--- a/spec/mysql-server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mysql-server_spec.rb
@@ -3,80 +3,78 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-server' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
   describe 'ubuntu' do
-    before do
-      @chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new(::UBUNTU_OPTS) do |n|
-        n.set['mysql'] = {
+    include_context 'database-stubs'
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(UBUNTU_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) do
+      node.set_unless['mysql'] = {
           'server_debian_password' => 'server-debian-password',
           'server_root_password' => 'server-root-password',
           'server_repl_password' => 'server-repl-password'
-        }
-      end
-      @chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-server'
+      }
+      runner.converge(described_recipe)
     end
 
     it 'overrides default mysql attributes' do
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['bind_address']).to eql '127.0.0.1'
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_thread_concurrency']).to eql '0'
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_commit_concurrency']).to eql '0'
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_read_io_threads']).to eql '4'
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit']).to eql '2'
-      expect(@chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['skip-name-resolve']).to eql true
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['bind_address']).to eql '127.0.0.1'
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_thread_concurrency']).to eql '0'
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_commit_concurrency']).to eql '0'
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_read_io_threads']).to eql '4'
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit']).to eql '2'
+      expect(chef_run.node['mysql']['tunable']['skip-name-resolve']).to eql true
     end
 
     it 'includes mysql recipes' do
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client'
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::server'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-client'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'mysql::server'
     end
 
     it 'modifies my.cnf template to notify mysql restart' do
-      file = @chef_run.template '/etc/mysql/my.cnf'
+      file = chef_run.template '/etc/mysql/my.cnf'
       expect(file).to notify('service[mysql]').to(:restart)
     end
 
     describe 'lwrps' do
-      before do
-        @connection = {
-          host: 'localhost',
-          username: 'root',
-          password: 'server-root-password'
-        }
-      end
+      connection = {
+        host: 'localhost',
+        username: 'root',
+        password: 'server-root-password'
+      }
 
       it 'removes insecure default localhost mysql users' do
-        resource = @chef_run.find_resource(
+        resource = chef_run.find_resource(
           'mysql_database',
           'drop empty localhost user'
         ).to_hash
 
         expect(resource).to include(
           sql: "DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE User = '' OR Password = ''",
-          connection: @connection,
+          connection: connection,
           action: [:query]
         )
       end
 
       it 'drops the test database' do
-        resource = @chef_run.find_resource(
+        resource = chef_run.find_resource(
           'mysql_database',
           'test'
         ).to_hash
 
         expect(resource).to include(
-          connection: @connection,
+          connection: connection,
           action: [:drop]
         )
       end
 
       it 'flushes privileges' do
-        resource = @chef_run.find_resource(
+        resource = chef_run.find_resource(
           'mysql_database',
           'FLUSH PRIVILEGES'
         ).to_hash
 
         expect(resource).to include(
-          connection: @connection,
+          connection: connection,
           sql: 'FLUSH PRIVILEGES',
           action: [:query]
         )
diff --git a/spec/postgresql-server_spec.rb b/spec/postgresql-server_spec.rb
index 017aca6..048dba2 100644
--- a/spec/postgresql-server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/postgresql-server_spec.rb
@@ -3,21 +3,24 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-server' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
   describe 'ubuntu' do
-    before do
-      @chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS
+    include_context 'database-stubs'
+
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(UBUNTU_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) do
       # The postgresql cookbook will raise an 'uninitialized constant
       # Chef::Application' error without this attribute when running
       # the tests
-      @chef_run.node.set['postgresql']['password']['postgres'] = String.new
-      @chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-server'
+      node.set_unless['postgresql']['password']['postgres'] = String.new
+
+      runner.converge(described_recipe)
     end
 
     it 'includes postgresql recipes' do
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe(
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe(
         'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-client')
-      expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe 'postgresql::server'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe('postgresql::server')
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/server_spec.rb b/spec/server_spec.rb
index 5d04301..33c84cb 100644
--- a/spec/server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/server_spec.rb
@@ -3,34 +3,32 @@
 require_relative 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'openstack-ops-database::server' do
-  before { ops_database_stubs }
   describe 'ubuntu' do
+    include_context 'database-stubs'
+    let(:runner) { ChefSpec::Runner.new(UBUNTU_OPTS) }
+    let(:node) { runner.node }
+    let(:chef_run) do
+      node.set_unless['mysql'] = {
+        'server_debian_password' => 'server-debian-password',
+        'server_root_password' => 'server-root-password',
+        'server_repl_password' => 'server-repl-password'
+      }
+      runner.converge(described_recipe)
+    end
 
     it 'uses mysql database server recipe by default' do
-      chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new(::UBUNTU_OPTS) do |n|
-        n.set['mysql'] = {
-          'server_debian_password' => 'server-debian-password',
-          'server_root_password' => 'server-root-password',
-          'server_repl_password' => 'server-repl-password'
-        }
-      end
-      chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::server'
-
-      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::mysql-server'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe('openstack-ops-database::mysql-server')
     end
 
     it 'uses postgresql database server recipe when configured' do
-      chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS do |n|
-        n.set['openstack']['db']['service_type'] = 'postgresql'
-        # The postgresql cookbook will raise an 'uninitialized constant
-        # Chef::Application' error without this attribute when running
-        # the tests
-        n.set['postgresql']['password']['postgres'] = String.new
-      end
+      node.set['openstack']['db']['service_type'] = 'postgresql'
+      # The postgresql cookbook will raise an 'uninitialized constant
+      # Chef::Application' error without this attribute when running
+      # the tests
+      node.set_unless['postgresql']['password']['postgres'] = String.new
 
-      chef_run.converge 'openstack-ops-database::server'
-
-      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe 'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-server'
+      expect(chef_run).to include_recipe(
+        'openstack-ops-database::postgresql-server')
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 5fecc0a..2b8ce0f 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -20,15 +20,17 @@ require 'chefspec/berkshelf'
   log_level: ::LOG_LEVEL
 }
 
-def ops_database_stubs
-  # for redhat
-  stub_command("/usr/bin/mysql -u root -e 'show databases;'")
-  # for debian
-  stub_command("\"/usr/bin/mysql\" -u root -e 'show databases;'")
+shared_context 'database-stubs' do
+  before do
+    # for redhat
+    stub_command("/usr/bin/mysql -u root -e 'show databases;'")
+    # for debian
+    stub_command("\"/usr/bin/mysql\" -u root -e 'show databases;'")
 
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:address_for)
-    .with('lo')
-    .and_return '127.0.0.1'
+    ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:address_for)
+      .with('lo')
+      .and_return('127.0.0.1')
+  end
 end
 
 # README(galstrom21): This will remove any coverage warnings from