diff --git a/tests/app/notify_client/test_user_client.py b/tests/app/notify_client/test_user_client.py
index 593e785bd..0f64560ba 100644
--- a/tests/app/notify_client/test_user_client.py
+++ b/tests/app/notify_client/test_user_client.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
 from app import user_api_client
-from app.notify_client.user_api_client import UserApiClient
 
 
 def test_client_uses_correct_find_by_email(mocker, api_user_active):
@@ -9,11 +8,10 @@ def test_client_uses_correct_find_by_email(mocker, api_user_active):
     expected_url = '/user/email'
     expected_params = {'email': api_user_active.email_address}
 
-    client = UserApiClient()
-    client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
+    user_api_client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
     mock_get = mocker.patch('app.notify_client.user_api_client.UserApiClient.get')
 
-    client.get_user_by_email(api_user_active.email_address)
+    user_api_client.get_user_by_email(api_user_active.email_address)
 
     mock_get.assert_called_once_with(expected_url, params=expected_params)
 
@@ -21,36 +19,33 @@ def test_client_uses_correct_find_by_email(mocker, api_user_active):
 def test_client_only_updates_allowed_attributes(mocker):
     mocker.patch('app.notify_client.current_user', id='1')
     with pytest.raises(TypeError) as error:
-        UserApiClient().update_user_attribute('user_id', id='1')
+        user_api_client.update_user_attribute('user_id', id='1')
     assert str(error.value) == 'Not allowed to update user attributes: id'
 
 
 def test_client_updates_password_separately(mocker, api_user_active):
     expected_url = '/user/{}/update-password'.format(api_user_active.id)
     expected_params = {'_password': 'newpassword'}
-    client = UserApiClient()
-    client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
+    user_api_client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
     mock_update_password = mocker.patch('app.notify_client.user_api_client.UserApiClient.post')
 
-    client.update_password(api_user_active.id, expected_params['_password'])
+    user_api_client.update_password(api_user_active.id, expected_params['_password'])
     mock_update_password.assert_called_once_with(expected_url, data=expected_params)
 
 
 def test_client_activates_if_pending(mocker, api_user_pending):
     mock_post = mocker.patch('app.notify_client.user_api_client.UserApiClient.post')
-    client = UserApiClient()
-    client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
+    user_api_client.max_failed_login_count = 1  # doesn't matter for this test
 
-    client.activate_user(api_user_pending)
+    user_api_client.activate_user(api_user_pending)
 
     mock_post.assert_called_once_with('/user/{}/activate'.format(api_user_pending.id), data=None)
 
 
 def test_client_doesnt_activate_if_already_active(mocker, api_user_active):
     mock_post = mocker.patch('app.notify_client.user_api_client.UserApiClient.post')
-    client = UserApiClient()
 
-    client.activate_user(api_user_active)
+    user_api_client.activate_user(api_user_active)
 
     assert not mock_post.called