diff --git a/clean_files.txt b/clean_files.txt
index 4ecda787..ad9a364a 100644
--- a/clean_files.txt
+++ b/clean_files.txt
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ plugins/available/zoxide.plugin.bash
 # tests
 #
 test/plugins/alias-completion.plugin.bats
+test/run
 test/test_helper.bash
+test/test_helper_libs.bash
 
 # themes
 #
diff --git a/test/bash_it/bash_it.bats b/test/bash_it/bash_it.bats
index a692909e..13c84238 100644
--- a/test/bash_it/bash_it.bats
+++ b/test/bash_it/bash_it.bats
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
 
 function local_setup {
   setup_test_fixture
diff --git a/test/completion/bash-it.completion.bats b/test/completion/bash-it.completion.bats
index fbf0a3fa..cb1761bf 100644
--- a/test/completion/bash-it.completion.bats
+++ b/test/completion/bash-it.completion.bats
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
 load ../../completion/available/bash-it.completion
 
 function local_setup {
diff --git a/test/install/install.bats b/test/install/install.bats
index 40f3162d..4a88e23f 100644
--- a/test/install/install.bats
+++ b/test/install/install.bats
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
 
 # Determine which config file to use based on OS.
 case $OSTYPE in
diff --git a/test/install/uninstall.bats b/test/install/uninstall.bats
index 038125b3..16bb7f7b 100644
--- a/test/install/uninstall.bats
+++ b/test/install/uninstall.bats
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
 
 # Determine which config file to use based on OS.
 case $OSTYPE in
diff --git a/test/lib/composure.bats b/test/lib/composure.bats
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 02da83eb..8198936c
--- a/test/lib/composure.bats
+++ b/test/lib/composure.bats
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
 
 @test "lib composure: _composure_keywords()" {
   run _composure_keywords
diff --git a/test/lib/helpers.bats b/test/lib/helpers.bats
index d876d882..4df36277 100644
--- a/test/lib/helpers.bats
+++ b/test/lib/helpers.bats
@@ -1,14 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-load ../../lib/utilities
-load ../../lib/search
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
-
-load ../../lib/helpers
+load ../test_helper_libs
 load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
 
 function local_setup {
diff --git a/test/lib/log.bats b/test/lib/log.bats
index 329386bd..00efbc2d 100644
--- a/test/lib/log.bats
+++ b/test/lib/log.bats
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/appearance
+load ../../themes/colors.theme
 
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
 load ../../lib/log
 load ../../lib/helpers
 load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
diff --git a/test/lib/search.bats b/test/lib/search.bats
index 2081abab..c8a95027 100644
--- a/test/lib/search.bats
+++ b/test/lib/search.bats
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load ../../lib/utilities
-load ../../lib/search
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
 load ../../aliases/available/git.aliases
diff --git a/test/lib/utilities.bats b/test/lib/utilities.bats
index 4907a763..a0968fce 100644
--- a/test/lib/utilities.bats
+++ b/test/lib/utilities.bats
@@ -1,93 +1,84 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load ../../lib/utilities
-load ../../lib/search
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 function local_setup {
   setup_test_fixture
 }
 
-function has_match() {
-  $(_bash-it-array-contains-element ${@}) && echo "has" "$1"
-}
-
-function item_enabled() {
-  $(_bash-it-component-item-is-enabled ${@}) && echo "$1" "$2" "is enabled"
-}
-
-function item_disabled() {
-  $(_bash-it-component-item-is-disabled ${@}) && echo "$1" "$2" "is disabled"
-}
-
 @test "_bash-it-component-item-is-enabled() - for a disabled item" {
-  run item_enabled aliases svn
-  assert_line -n 0 ''
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled aliases svn
+  assert_failure
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-component-item-is-enabled() - for an enabled/disabled item" {
   run bash-it enable alias svn
   assert_line -n 0 'svn enabled with priority 150.'
 
-  run item_enabled alias svn
-  assert_line -n 0 'alias svn is enabled'
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled alias svn
+  assert_success
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled alias svn
+  assert_failure
 
   run bash-it disable alias svn
   assert_line -n 0 'svn disabled.'
 
-  run item_enabled alias svn
-  assert_line -n 0 ''
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled alias svn
+  assert_failure
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled alias svn
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-component-item-is-disabled() - for a disabled item" {
-  run item_disabled alias svn
-  assert_line -n 0 'alias svn is disabled'
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled alias svn
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-component-item-is-disabled() - for an enabled/disabled item" {
   run bash-it enable alias svn
   assert_line -n 0 'svn enabled with priority 150.'
 
-  run item_disabled alias svn
-  assert_line -n 0 ''
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled alias svn
+  assert_failure
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled alias svn
+  assert_success
 
   run bash-it disable alias svn
   assert_line -n 0 'svn disabled.'
 
-  run item_disabled alias svn
-  assert_line -n 0 'alias svn is disabled'
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled alias svn
+  assert_success
+  run _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled alias svn
+  assert_failure
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-array-contains-element() - when match is found, and is the first" {
   declare -a fruits=(apple pear orange mandarin)
-  run has_match apple "${fruits[@]}"
-  assert_line -n 0 'has apple'
+  run _bash-it-array-contains-element apple "${fruits[@]}"
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-array-contains-element() - when match is found, and is the last" {
   declare -a fruits=(apple pear orange mandarin)
-  run has_match mandarin "${fruits[@]}"
-  assert_line -n 0 'has mandarin'
+  run _bash-it-array-contains-element mandarin "${fruits[@]}"
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-array-contains-element() - when match is found, and is in the middle" {
   declare -a fruits=(apple pear orange mandarin)
-  run has_match pear "${fruits[@]}"
-  assert_line -n 0 'has pear'
+  run _bash-it-array-contains-element pear "${fruits[@]}"
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-array-contains-element() - when match is found, and it has spaces" {
   declare -a fruits=(apple pear orange mandarin "yellow watermelon")
-  run has_match "yellow watermelon" "${fruits[@]}"
-  assert_line -n 0 'has yellow watermelon'
+  run _bash-it-array-contains-element "yellow watermelon" "${fruits[@]}"
+  assert_success
 }
 
 @test "_bash-it-array-contains-element() - when match is not found" {
   declare -a fruits=(apple pear orange mandarin)
-  run has_match xyz "${fruits[@]}"
-  assert_line -n 0 ''
+  run _bash-it-array-contains-element xyz "${fruits[@]}"
+  assert_failure
 }
diff --git a/test/plugins/alias-completion.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/alias-completion.plugin.bats
index 497dded9..20d13cf2 100644
--- a/test/plugins/alias-completion.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/alias-completion.plugin.bats
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-load ../../lib/helpers
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 load ../../completion/available/capistrano.completion
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 6f1099cc..05081a8a
--- a/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-load ../../lib/helpers
+load ../test_helper_libs
 load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
 
 @test 'plugins base: ips()' {
diff --git a/test/plugins/battery.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/battery.plugin.bats
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index fda52b02..eac6d021
--- a/test/plugins/battery.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/battery.plugin.bats
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load "${BASH_IT}/lib/log.bash"
-load "${BASH_IT}/lib/helpers.bash"
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 load ../../plugins/available/battery.plugin
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/cmd-returned-notify.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/cmd-returned-notify.plugin.bats
index f201e465..daf58330 100644
--- a/test/plugins/cmd-returned-notify.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/cmd-returned-notify.plugin.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
+load ../test_helper_libs
+load ../../vendor/init.d/preexec
 
 load ../../plugins/available/cmd-returned-notify.plugin
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/go.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/go.plugin.bats
index 110699e8..4021e643 100644
--- a/test/plugins/go.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/go.plugin.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 # We test `go version` in each test to account for users with goenv and no system go.
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/ruby.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/ruby.plugin.bats
index 7a719020..e40dfeae 100755
--- a/test/plugins/ruby.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/ruby.plugin.bats
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../plugins/available/ruby.plugin
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 function local_setup {
   setup_test_fixture
@@ -18,17 +16,21 @@ function local_teardown {
 }
 
 @test "plugins ruby: remove_gem is defined" {
+  load ../../plugins/available/ruby.plugin
+
   run type remove_gem
   assert_line -n 1 "remove_gem () "
 }
 
 @test "plugins ruby: PATH includes ~/.gem/ruby/bin" {
-  if ! which ruby >/dev/null; then
+  if ! type ruby >/dev/null; then
     skip 'ruby not installed'
   fi
 
+  mkdir -p "$(ruby -e 'print Gem.user_dir')/bin"
+
   load ../../plugins/available/ruby.plugin
 
-  local last_path_entry=$(echo $PATH | tr ":" "\n" | tail -1)
-  [[ "${last_path_entry}" == "${HOME}"/.gem/ruby/*/bin ]]
+  local last_path_entry="$(tail -1 <<<"${PATH//:/$'\n'}")"
+  [[ "${last_path_entry}" == "$(ruby -e 'print Gem.user_dir')/bin" ]]
 }
diff --git a/test/plugins/xterm.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/xterm.plugin.bats
index 123a91f0..c175d854 100644
--- a/test/plugins/xterm.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/xterm.plugin.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load ../../lib/helpers
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 load ../../plugins/available/xterm.plugin
 
@@ -21,30 +20,30 @@ function local_setup {
 
 @test "plugins xterm: shorten command output" {
     export SHORT_TERM_LINE=true
-    run _short-command ${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files/*
+    run _short-command "${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files"/*
     assert_success
-    assert_output ${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files/arg0
+    assert_output "${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files/arg0"
 }
 
 @test "plugins xterm: full command output" {
     export SHORT_TERM_LINE=false
-    run _short-command ${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files/*
+    run _short-command "${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files"/*
     assert_success
-    assert_output "$(echo ${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files/*)"
+    assert_output "$(echo "${BASH_IT}/test/fixtures/plugin/xterm/files"/*)"
 }
 
 @test "plugins xterm: shorten dirname output" {
     export SHORT_TERM_LINE=true
     run _short-dirname
     assert_success
-    assert_output "$(basename $PWD)"
+    assert_output "$(basename "${PWD}")"
 }
 
 @test "plugins xterm: full dirname output" {
     export SHORT_TERM_LINE=false
     run _short-dirname
     assert_success
-    assert_output $PWD
+    assert_output "${PWD}"
 }
 
 @test "plugins xterm: set xterm title" {
diff --git a/test/run b/test/run
index 7999d4fb..14d83950 100755
--- a/test/run
+++ b/test/run
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ bats_executable="${test_directory}/../test_lib/bats-core/bin/bats"
 
 git submodule init && git submodule update
 
-if [ -z "${BASH_IT}" ]; then
-  declare BASH_IT
-  BASH_IT="$(cd "${test_directory}" && dirname "${PWD}")"
-  export BASH_IT
+if [[ -z "${BASH_IT}" ]]; then
+	BASH_IT="$(cd "${test_directory}" && dirname "${PWD}")"
+	export BASH_IT
 fi
 
-if [ -z "$1" ]; then
-  test_dirs=( "${test_directory}"/{bash_it,completion,install,lib,plugins,themes} )
+if [[ -z "$1" ]]; then
+	test_dirs=("${test_directory}"/{bash_it,completion,install,lib,plugins,themes})
 else
-  test_dirs=( "$1" )
+	test_dirs=("$1")
 fi
 
 # Make sure that the `parallel` command is installed,
@@ -21,28 +20,26 @@ fi
 # If that is the case, try to guess the number of CPU cores,
 # so we can run `bats` in parallel processing mode, which is a lot faster.
 if command -v parallel &> /dev/null \
-  && parallel -V &> /dev/null \
-  && { parallel -V 2> /dev/null | grep -q '^GNU\>'; }
-then
-  # Expect to run at least on a dual-core CPU; slightly degraded performance
-  # shouldn't matter otherwise.
-  declare -i -r test_jobs_default=2
-  declare -i -r test_jobs_effective="$(
-    if [ "${TEST_JOBS:-detect}" = "detect" ] \
-      && command -v nproc &> /dev/null
-    then
-      nproc
-    elif [ -n "${TEST_JOBS}" ] \
-      && [ "${TEST_JOBS}" != "detect" ]
-    then
-      echo "${TEST_JOBS}"
-    else
-      echo ${test_jobs_default}
-    fi
-  )"
-  exec "$bats_executable" ${CI:+--tap} --jobs ${test_jobs_effective} \
-    "${test_dirs[@]}"
+	&& parallel -V &> /dev/null \
+	&& { parallel -V 2> /dev/null | grep -q '^GNU\>'; }; then
+	# Expect to run at least on a dual-core CPU; slightly degraded performance
+	# shouldn't matter otherwise.
+	declare -i -r test_jobs_default=2
+	# shellcheck disable=SC2155
+	declare -i -r test_jobs_effective="$(
+		if [[ "${TEST_JOBS:-detect}" = "detect" ]] \
+			&& command -v nproc &> /dev/null; then
+			nproc
+		elif [[ -n "${TEST_JOBS}" ]] \
+			&& [[ "${TEST_JOBS}" != "detect" ]]; then
+			echo "${TEST_JOBS}"
+		else
+			echo "${test_jobs_default}"
+		fi
+	)"
+	exec "$bats_executable" "${CI:+--tap}" --jobs "${test_jobs_effective}" \
+		"${test_dirs[@]}"
 else
-  # Run `bats` in single-threaded mode.
-  exec "$bats_executable" ${CI:+--tap} "${test_dirs[@]}"
+	# Run `bats` in single-threaded mode.
+	exec "$bats_executable" ${CI:+--tap} "${test_dirs[@]}"
 fi
diff --git a/test/test_helper.bash b/test/test_helper.bash
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 8d92e89c..06660979
--- a/test/test_helper.bash
+++ b/test/test_helper.bash
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ load "${TEST_DEPS_DIR}/bats-file/load.bash"
 
 # support 'plumbing' metadata
 cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
+cite about-alias about-plugin about-completion
 
 local_setup() {
 	true
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ setup_test_fixture() {
 
 	if command -v rsync &> /dev/null; then
 		# Use rsync to copy Bash-it to the temp folder
-		rsync -qavrKL -d --delete-excluded --exclude=.git --exclude=enabled "$src_topdir" "$BASH_IT"
+		rsync -qavrKL -d --delete-excluded --exclude=.git --exclude=helper.bash --exclude=enabled "$src_topdir" "$BASH_IT"
 	else
 		rm -rf "$BASH_IT"
 		mkdir -p "$BASH_IT"
diff --git a/test/test_helper_libs.bash b/test/test_helper_libs.bash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57115e7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_helper_libs.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+
+load "${BASH_IT}/lib/log.bash"
+load "${BASH_IT}/lib/utilities.bash"
+load "${BASH_IT}/lib/helpers.bash"
+load "${BASH_IT}/lib/search.bash"
diff --git a/test/themes/base.theme.bats b/test/themes/base.theme.bats
index dc8213d3..50098c1d 100644
--- a/test/themes/base.theme.bats
+++ b/test/themes/base.theme.bats
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
-
-load ../../lib/helpers
+load ../test_helper_libs
+load ../../themes/colors.theme
 load ../../themes/base.theme
 
 @test 'themes base: battery_percentage should not exist' {
@@ -22,30 +18,32 @@ load ../../themes/base.theme
 }
 
 @test 'themes base: battery_char should exist' {
-  run type -a battery_char &> /dev/null
+  run type -t battery_char
   assert_success
+  assert_line "function"
 
   run battery_char
-  assert_success
   assert_line -n 0 ""
-
-  run type -a battery_char
-  assert_line "    echo -n"
 }
 
 @test 'themes base: battery_char should exist if battery plugin loaded' {
   unset -f battery_char
-  load ../../plugins/available/battery.plugin
-  load ../../themes/base.theme
 
-  run type -a battery_char &> /dev/null
+  load ../../plugins/available/battery.plugin
+  run type -t battery_percentage
   assert_success
+  assert_line "function"
+
+  load ../../themes/base.theme
+  run type -t battery_char
+  assert_success
+  assert_line "function"
 
   run battery_char
   assert_success
 
   run type -a battery_char
-  assert_line '    if [[ "${THEME_BATTERY_PERCENTAGE_CHECK}" = true ]]; then'
+  assert_output --partial 'THEME_BATTERY_PERCENTAGE_CHECK'
 }
 
 @test 'themes base: battery_charge should exist' {
diff --git a/test/themes/base.theme.git.bats b/test/themes/base.theme.git.bats
index f2c4b9c2..ad2c5a8d 100644
--- a/test/themes/base.theme.git.bats
+++ b/test/themes/base.theme.git.bats
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
-
-load ../../lib/helpers
+load ../test_helper_libs
 load ../../themes/githelpers.theme
 load ../../themes/base.theme
 
diff --git a/test/themes/base.theme.svn.bats b/test/themes/base.theme.svn.bats
index d1c2c311..789d85e5 100644
--- a/test/themes/base.theme.svn.bats
+++ b/test/themes/base.theme.svn.bats
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bats
 
 load ../test_helper
-load "${BASH_IT}/vendor/github.com/erichs/composure/composure.sh"
-load ../../lib/log
-
-cite _about _param _example _group _author _version
-
-load ../../lib/helpers
+load ../test_helper_libs
 
 function local_setup {
   setup_test_fixture