diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 30144b19..7698bf68 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
   "mocha": {
     "reporter": "spec",
     "require": "ts-node/register/transpile-only",
+    "file": "./tests/config-tests",
     "timeout": 12000,
     "_": "tests/**/*.spec.ts"
   },
diff --git a/tests/commands/build.spec.ts b/tests/commands/build.spec.ts
index 2cd31520..ec6c0d04 100644
--- a/tests/commands/build.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/commands/build.spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-// tslint:disable-next-line:no-var-requires
-require('../config-tests'); // required for side effects
-
 import { expect } from 'chai';
 import mock = require('mock-require');
 import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
diff --git a/tests/commands/deploy.spec.ts b/tests/commands/deploy.spec.ts
index 1b997460..4da394c3 100644
--- a/tests/commands/deploy.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/commands/deploy.spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-// tslint:disable-next-line:no-var-requires
-require('../config-tests'); // required for side effects
-
 import { expect } from 'chai';
 import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
diff --git a/tests/commands/push.spec.ts b/tests/commands/push.spec.ts
index 1e294532..6b5a678d 100644
--- a/tests/commands/push.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/commands/push.spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-// tslint:disable-next-line:no-var-requires
-require('../config-tests'); // required for side effects
-
 import { expect } from 'chai';
 import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
diff --git a/tests/config-tests.ts b/tests/config-tests.ts
index cb31e7c8..1d7cce7e 100644
--- a/tests/config-tests.ts
+++ b/tests/config-tests.ts
@@ -15,18 +15,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { setMaxListeners } from '../build/app-common';
-
-setMaxListeners(35); // it appears that 'nock' adds a bunch of listeners - bug?
+import { EventEmitter } from 'events';
+EventEmitter.defaultMaxListeners = 35; // it appears that 'nock' adds a bunch of listeners - bug?
 // SL: Looks like it's not nock causing this, as have seen the problem triggered from help.spec,
 //     which is not using nock.  Perhaps mocha/chai? (unlikely), or something in the CLI?
 
 import { config as chaiCfg } from 'chai';
-
-function configChai() {
-	chaiCfg.showDiff = true;
-	// enable diff comparison of large objects / arrays
-	chaiCfg.truncateThreshold = 0;
-}
-
-configChai();
+chaiCfg.showDiff = true;
+// enable diff comparison of large objects / arrays
+chaiCfg.truncateThreshold = 0;
diff --git a/tests/helpers.ts b/tests/helpers.ts
index b289e977..4fbad73f 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers.ts
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import './config-tests'; // required for side effects
-
 import { execFile } from 'child_process';
 import intercept = require('intercept-stdout');
 import * as _ from 'lodash';
diff --git a/tests/utils/tarDirectory.spec.ts b/tests/utils/tarDirectory.spec.ts
index 2775cf69..a6e3b3f6 100644
--- a/tests/utils/tarDirectory.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/utils/tarDirectory.spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-// tslint:disable-next-line:no-var-requires
-require('./../config-tests'); // required for side effects
-
 import { expect } from 'chai';
 import * as _ from 'lodash';
 import * as path from 'path';