diff --git a/test/test_export.py b/test/test_export.py
index 9d7c4a457..0fae57ca4 100644
--- a/test/test_export.py
+++ b/test/test_export.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 import unittest
 from test.helper import TestHelper
 
-
 class ExportPluginTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
     def setUp(self):
         self.setup_beets()
@@ -31,40 +30,37 @@ class ExportPluginTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         self.unload_plugins()
         self.teardown_beets()
 
-    def test_json_output(self):
-        item1, item2 = self.add_item_fixtures(count=2)
-        item1.album = 'talbum'
-        item1.artist = "tartist"
-        item1.track = "ttrack"
+    def execute_command(self, format_type, artist):
+        options = ' -f %s -i "track,album" s'.format(format_type, artist)
+        actual = self.run_with_output('export', options)
+        return actual.replace(" ", "")
+    
+    def create_item(self, album='talbum', artist='tartist', track='ttrack'):
+        item1, = self.add_item_fixtures()
+        item1.album = album
+        item1.artist = artist
+        item1.track = track
         item1.write()
         item1.store()
-        options = '-f json -i "track,album" ' + item1.artist
-        out = self.run_with_output('export', options)
-        self.assertIn('"track": "' + item1.track + '"', out)
-        self.assertIn('"album": "' + item1.album + '"', out)
+        return item1
+
+    def test_json_output(self):
+        item1 = self.create_item()
+        actual = self.execute_command(format_type='json',artist=item1.artist)
+        expected = '[{"track":%s,"album":%s}]'.format(item1.track,item1.album)
+        self.assertIn(first=expected,second=actual,msg="export in JSON format failed")
 
     def test_csv_output(self):
-        item1, item2 = self.add_item_fixtures(count=2)
-        item1.album = 'talbum'
-        item1.artist = "tartist"
-        item1.track = "ttrack"
-        item1.write()
-        item1.store()
-        options = '-f csv -i "track,album" ' + item1.artist
-        out = self.run_with_output('export', options)
-        self.assertIn(item1.track + ',' + item1.album,  out)
+        item1 = self.create_item()
+        actual = self.execute_command(format_type='json',artist=item1.artist)
+        expected = 'track,album\n%s,%s'.format(item1.track,item1.album)
+        self.assertIn(first=expected,second=actual,msg="export in CSV format failed")
 
     def test_xml_output(self):
-        item1, item2 = self.add_item_fixtures(count=2)
-        item1.album = 'talbum'
-        item1.artist = "tartist"
-        item1.track = "ttrack"
-        item1.write()
-        item1.store()
-        options = '-f xml -i "track,album" ' + item1.artist
-        out = self.run_with_output('export', options)
-        self.assertIn("<title>" + item1.track + "</title>", out)
-        self.assertIn("<album>" + item1.album + "</album>", out)
+        item1 = self.create_item()
+        actual = self.execute_command(format_type='json',artist=item1.artist)
+        expected = '<title>%s</title><album>%s</album>'.format(item1.track,item1.album)
+        self.assertIn(first=expected,second=actual,msg="export in XML format failed")
 
 
 def suite():