diff --git a/GPy/testing/state_space_main_tests.py b/GPy/testing/state_space_main_tests.py
index 0b8db023..898eaa90 100644
--- a/GPy/testing/state_space_main_tests.py
+++ b/GPy/testing/state_space_main_tests.py
@@ -262,10 +262,7 @@ def generate_random_y_data(samples, dim, ts_no):
     return Y
 
 
-class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        pass
-
+class TestStateSpaceKernels:
     def run_descr_model(
         self,
         measurements,
@@ -290,12 +287,14 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
 
         state_dim = 1 if not isinstance(A, np.ndarray) else A.shape[0]
         ts_no = 1 if (len(measurements.shape) < 3) else measurements.shape[2]
+        import importlib
+
         grad_params_no = None if dA is None else dA.shape[2]
 
         ss_setup.use_cython = use_cython
         global ssm
         if (ssm.cython_code_available) and (ssm.use_cython != use_cython):
-            reload(ssm)
+            importlib.reload(ssm.DescreteStateSpace)
 
         grad_calc_params = None
         if calc_grad_log_likelihood:
@@ -328,7 +327,7 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
         )
 
         f_mean_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_mean[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
-        f_var_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_var[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
+        _f_var_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_var[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
 
         if true_states is not None:
             # print np.max(np.abs(f_mean_squeezed-true_states))
@@ -345,7 +344,7 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
             f_var.shape, (measurements.shape[0] + 1, state_dim, state_dim)
         )
 
-        (M_smooth, P_smooth) = ssm.DescreteStateSpace.rts_smoother(
+        (_M_smooth, _P_smooth) = ssm.DescreteStateSpace.rts_smoother(
             state_dim, dynamic_callables_smoother, f_mean, f_var
         )
 
@@ -376,10 +375,12 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
         state_dim = 1 if not isinstance(F, np.ndarray) else F.shape[0]
         ts_no = 1 if (len(Y_data.shape) < 3) else Y_data.shape[2]
 
+        import importlib
+
         ss_setup.use_cython = use_cython
         global ssm
         if (ssm.cython_code_available) and (ssm.use_cython != use_cython):
-            reload(ssm)
+            importlib.reload(ssm)
 
         (
             f_mean,
@@ -406,15 +407,15 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
             grad_calc_params=grad_calc_params,
         )
 
-        f_mean_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_mean[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
-        f_var_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_var[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
+        _f_mean_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_mean[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
+        _f_var_squeezed = np.squeeze(f_var[1:, :])  # exclude initial value
 
         np.testing.assert_equal(f_mean.shape, (Y_data.shape[0] + 1, state_dim, ts_no))
         np.testing.assert_equal(
             f_var.shape, (Y_data.shape[0] + 1, state_dim, state_dim)
         )
 
-        (M_smooth, P_smooth) = ssm.ContDescrStateSpace.cont_discr_rts_smoother(
+        (_M_smooth, _P_smooth) = ssm.ContDescrStateSpace.cont_discr_rts_smoother(
             state_dim, f_mean, f_var, dynamic_callables_smoother
         )
 
@@ -1516,13 +1517,3 @@ class StateSpaceKernelsTests(np.testing.TestCase):
 #        plt.show()
 #        # plotting <-
 #    # 1D measurements, 1 ts_no <-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    print("Running state-space inference tests...")
-    unittest.main()
-
-    # tt = StateSpaceKernelsTests('test_discrete_ss_first')
-    # res = tt.test_discrete_ss_first(plot=True)
-    # res = tt.test_discrete_ss_1D(plot=True)
-    # res = tt.test_discrete_ss_2D(plot=False)
-    # res = tt.test_continuos_ss(plot=True)