diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/conftest.py b/tests/tokenizer/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccaa741a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import pytest
+from spacy.en import English
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def EN():
+    return English(load_vectors=False)
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def en_tokenizer(EN):
+    return EN.tokenizer
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_contractions.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_contractions.py
index 3d0ee11ee..1d12e3d22 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_contractions.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_contractions.py
@@ -1,34 +1,31 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
 
-EN = English()
-
-def test_possess():
-    tokens = EN("Mike's", parse=False, tag=False)
-    assert EN.vocab.strings[tokens[0].orth] == "Mike"
-    assert EN.vocab.strings[tokens[1].orth] == "'s"
+def test_possess(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("Mike's")
+    assert en_tokenizer.vocab.strings[tokens[0].orth] == "Mike"
+    assert en_tokenizer.vocab.strings[tokens[1].orth] == "'s"
     assert len(tokens) == 2
 
 
-def test_apostrophe():
-    tokens = EN("schools'", parse=False, tag=False)
+def test_apostrophe(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("schools'")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[1].orth_ == "'"
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == "schools"
 
 
-def test_LL():
-    tokens = EN("we'll", parse=False)
+def test_LL(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("we'll")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[1].orth_ == "'ll"
     assert tokens[1].lemma_ == "will"
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == "we"
 
 
-def test_aint():
-    tokens = EN("ain't", parse=False)
+def test_aint(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("ain't")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == "ai"
     assert tokens[0].lemma_ == "be"
@@ -36,19 +33,19 @@ def test_aint():
     assert tokens[1].lemma_ == "not"
 
 
-def test_capitalized():
-    tokens = EN("can't", parse=False)
+def test_capitalized(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("can't")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
-    tokens = EN("Can't", parse=False)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("Can't")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
-    tokens = EN("Ain't", parse=False)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("Ain't")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == "Ai"
     assert tokens[0].lemma_ == "be"
 
 
-def test_punct():
-    tokens = EN("We've", parse=False)
+def test_punct(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("We've")
     assert len(tokens) == 2
-    tokens = EN("``We've", parse=False)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("``We've")
     assert len(tokens) == 3
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_emoticons.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_emoticons.py
index 2b250a328..e0022dbbd 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_emoticons.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_emoticons.py
@@ -1,17 +1,10 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
 
-
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English()
-
-
-def test_tweebo_challenge(EN):
+def test_tweebo_challenge(en_tokenizer):
     text = u""":o :/ :'( >:o (: :) >.< XD -__- o.O ;D :-) @_@ :P 8D :1 >:( :D =| ") :> ...."""
-    tokens = EN(text, parse=False, tag=False)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(text)
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == ":o"
     assert tokens[1].orth_ == ":/"
     assert tokens[2].orth_ == ":'("
@@ -36,7 +29,7 @@ def test_tweebo_challenge(EN):
     assert tokens[21].orth_ == '....'
 
 
-def test_false_positive(EN):
+def test_false_positive(en_tokenizer):
     text = "example:)"
-    tokens = EN(text, parse=False, tag=False)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(text)
     assert len(tokens) == 3
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_indices.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_indices.py
index ecd2e610c..5df7bcc59 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_indices.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_indices.py
@@ -3,18 +3,11 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import pytest
-from spacy.en import English
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def nlp():
-    nlp = English()
-    return nlp.tokenizer
-
-
-def test_simple_punct(nlp):
+def test_simple_punct(en_tokenizer):
     text = 'to walk, do foo'
-    tokens = nlp(text)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(text)
     assert tokens[0].idx == 0
     assert tokens[1].idx == 3
     assert tokens[2].idx == 7
@@ -22,9 +15,9 @@ def test_simple_punct(nlp):
     assert tokens[4].idx == 12
 
 
-def test_complex_punct(nlp):
+def test_complex_punct(en_tokenizer):
     text = 'Tom (D., Ill.)!'
-    tokens = nlp(text)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(text)
     assert tokens[0].idx == 0
     assert len(tokens[0]) == 3
     assert tokens[1].idx == 4
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_infix.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_infix.py
index 5c6558009..2e9fbe1e4 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_infix.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_infix.py
@@ -2,17 +2,13 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
-
-EN = English()
-
-def test_hyphen():
-    tokens = EN.tokenizer('best-known')
+def test_hyphen(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('best-known')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
 
 
-def test_period():
-    tokens = EN.tokenizer('best.Known')
+def test_period(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('best.Known')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
-    tokens = EN.tokenizer('zombo.com')
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('zombo.com')
     assert len(tokens) == 1
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_only_punct.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_only_punct.py
index a09beb9ef..12c958088 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_only_punct.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_only_punct.py
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-import pytest
-
-from spacy.en import English
 
 
-def test_only_pre1():
-    EN = English()
-    assert len(EN("(")) == 1
+def test_only_pre1(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(")) == 1
 
 
-def test_only_pre2():
-    EN = English()
-    assert len(EN("((")) == 2
+def test_only_pre2(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("((")) == 2
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_post_punct.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_post_punct.py
index 95b32f261..ff1120c63 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_post_punct.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_post_punct.py
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-
-from spacy.en import English
-
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -10,42 +7,37 @@ def close_puncts():
     return [')', ']', '}', '*']
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English()
-
-
-def test_close(close_puncts, EN):
+def test_close(close_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in close_puncts:
         string = word_str + p
-        tokens = EN(string, parse=False, tag=False)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 2
         assert tokens[1].string == p
         assert tokens[0].string == word_str
 
 
-def test_two_different_close(close_puncts, EN):
+def test_two_different_close(close_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in close_puncts:
         string = word_str + p + "'"
-        tokens = EN(string, parse=False, tag=False)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 3
         assert tokens[0].string == word_str
         assert tokens[1].string == p
         assert tokens[2].string == "'"
 
 
-def test_three_same_close(close_puncts, EN):
+def test_three_same_close(close_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in close_puncts:
         string = word_str + p + p + p
-        tokens = EN(string, tag=False, parse=False)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 4
         assert tokens[0].string == word_str
         assert tokens[1].string == p
 
 
-def test_double_end_quote(EN):
-    assert len(EN("Hello''", tag=False, parse=False)) == 2
-    assert len(EN("''", tag=False, parse=False)) == 1
+def test_double_end_quote(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("Hello''")) == 2
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("''")) == 1
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_pre_punct.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_pre_punct.py
index 1a987e59b..9aec1dc7b 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_pre_punct.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_pre_punct.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-from spacy.en import English
-
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -10,44 +8,39 @@ def open_puncts():
     return ['(', '[', '{', '*']
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English().tokenizer
-
-
-def test_open(open_puncts, EN):
+def test_open(open_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in open_puncts:
         string = p + word_str
-        tokens = EN(string)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 2
         assert tokens[0].orth_ == p
         assert tokens[1].orth_ == word_str
 
 
-def test_two_different_open(open_puncts, EN):
+def test_two_different_open(open_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in open_puncts:
         string = p + "`" + word_str
-        tokens = EN(string)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 3
         assert tokens[0].orth_ == p
         assert tokens[1].orth_ == "`"
         assert tokens[2].orth_ == word_str
 
 
-def test_three_same_open(open_puncts, EN):
+def test_three_same_open(open_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for p in open_puncts:
         string = p + p + p + word_str
-        tokens = EN(string)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 4
         assert tokens[0].orth_ == p
         assert tokens[3].orth_ == word_str
 
 
-def test_open_appostrophe(EN):
+def test_open_appostrophe(en_tokenizer):
     string = "'The"
-    tokens = EN(string)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == "'"
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_special_affix.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_special_affix.py
index cdc6a6d78..62cf114f1 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_special_affix.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_special_affix.py
@@ -3,50 +3,44 @@ and suffix punctuation."""
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English().tokenizer
+def test_no_special(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(can)")) == 3
 
 
-def test_no_special(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(can)")) == 3
+def test_no_punct(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("can't")) == 2
 
 
-def test_no_punct(EN):
-    assert len(EN("can't")) == 2
+def test_prefix(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(can't")) == 3
 
 
-def test_prefix(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(can't")) == 3
+def test_suffix(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("can't)")) == 3
 
 
-def test_suffix(EN):
-    assert len(EN("can't)")) == 3
+def test_wrap(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(can't)")) == 4
 
 
-def test_wrap(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(can't)")) == 4
+def test_uneven_wrap(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(can't?)")) == 5
 
 
-def test_uneven_wrap(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(can't?)")) == 5
+def test_prefix_interact(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("U.S.")) == 1
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("us.")) == 2
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(U.S.")) == 2
 
 
-def test_prefix_interact(EN):
-    assert len(EN("U.S.")) == 1
-    assert len(EN("us.")) == 2
-    assert len(EN("(U.S.")) == 2
+def test_suffix_interact(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("U.S.)")) == 2
 
 
-def test_suffix_interact(EN):
-    assert len(EN("U.S.)")) == 2
+def test_even_wrap_interact(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(U.S.)")) == 3
 
 
-def test_even_wrap_interact(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(U.S.)")) == 3
-
-
-def test_uneven_wrap_interact(EN):
-    assert len(EN("(U.S.?)")) == 4
+def test_uneven_wrap_interact(en_tokenizer):
+    assert len(en_tokenizer("(U.S.?)")) == 4
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_surround_punct.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_surround_punct.py
index fb6a6beb1..7c7a50904 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_surround_punct.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_surround_punct.py
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-
-from spacy.en import English
-
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -10,27 +7,22 @@ def paired_puncts():
     return [('(', ')'),  ('[', ']'), ('{', '}'), ('*', '*')]
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English().tokenizer
-
-
-def test_token(paired_puncts, EN):
+def test_token(paired_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for open_, close_ in paired_puncts:
         string = open_ + word_str + close_
-        tokens = EN(string)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 3
         assert tokens[0].orth_ == open_
         assert tokens[1].orth_ == word_str
         assert tokens[2].orth_ == close_
 
 
-def test_two_different(paired_puncts, EN):
+def test_two_different(paired_puncts, en_tokenizer):
     word_str = 'Hello'
     for open_, close_ in paired_puncts:
         string = "`" + open_ + word_str + close_ + "'"
-        tokens = EN(string)
+        tokens = en_tokenizer(string)
         assert len(tokens) == 5
         assert tokens[0].orth_ == "`"
         assert tokens[1].orth_ == open_
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_tokenizer.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_tokenizer.py
index 26d24b063..804e09114 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_tokenizer.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_tokenizer.py
@@ -3,32 +3,25 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
 
-
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English().tokenizer
-
-
-def test_no_word(EN):
-    tokens = EN(u'')
+def test_no_word(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(u'')
     assert len(tokens) == 0
 
 
-def test_single_word(EN):
-    tokens = EN(u'hello')
+def test_single_word(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(u'hello')
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == 'hello'
 
 
-def test_two_words(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello possums')
+def test_two_words(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello possums')
     assert len(tokens) == 2
     assert tokens[0].orth_ != tokens[1].orth_
 
 
-def test_punct(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello, possums.')
+def test_punct(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello, possums.')
     assert len(tokens) == 4
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == 'hello'
     assert tokens[1].orth_ == ','
@@ -36,34 +29,34 @@ def test_punct(EN):
     assert tokens[1].orth_ != 'hello'
 
 
-def test_digits(EN):
-    tokens = EN('The year: 1984.')
+def test_digits(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('The year: 1984.')
     assert len(tokens) == 5
-    assert tokens[0].orth == EN.vocab['The'].orth
-    assert tokens[3].orth == EN.vocab['1984'].orth
+    assert tokens[0].orth == en_tokenizer.vocab['The'].orth
+    assert tokens[3].orth == en_tokenizer.vocab['1984'].orth
 
 
-def test_contraction(EN):
-    tokens = EN("don't giggle")
+def test_contraction(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("don't giggle")
     assert len(tokens) == 3
-    assert tokens[1].orth == EN.vocab["n't"].orth
-    tokens = EN("i said don't!")
+    assert tokens[1].orth == en_tokenizer.vocab["n't"].orth
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("i said don't!")
     assert len(tokens) == 5
-    assert tokens[4].orth == EN.vocab['!'].orth
+    assert tokens[4].orth == en_tokenizer.vocab['!'].orth
 
 
-def test_contraction_punct(EN):
-    tokens = EN("(can't")
+def test_contraction_punct(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("(can't")
     assert len(tokens) == 3
-    tokens = EN("`ain't")
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("`ain't")
     assert len(tokens) == 3
-    tokens = EN('''"isn't''')
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('''"isn't''')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
-    tokens = EN("can't!")
+    tokens = en_tokenizer("can't!")
     assert len(tokens) == 3
 
 
-def test_sample(EN):
+def test_sample(en_tokenizer):
     text = """Tributes pour in for late British Labour Party leader
 
 Tributes poured in from around the world Thursday
@@ -75,7 +68,7 @@ untimely death" of the rapier-tongued Scottish barrister and parliamentarian.
 
 "Mr. Smith, throughout his distinguished"""
 
-    tokens = EN(text)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer(text)
     assert len(tokens) > 5
 
 
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_tokens_from_list.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_tokens_from_list.py
index 5bb5d7d69..c30326c54 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_tokens_from_list.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_tokens_from_list.py
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import pytest
 
-from spacy.en import English
 
-
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English()
-
-
-def test1(EN):
+def test1(en_tokenizer):
     words = ['JAPAN', 'GET', 'LUCKY']
-    tokens = EN.tokenizer.tokens_from_list(words)
+    tokens = en_tokenizer.tokens_from_list(words)
     assert len(tokens) == 3
     assert tokens[0].orth_ == 'JAPAN'
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/test_whitespace.py b/tests/tokenizer/test_whitespace.py
index eb87881dd..9d3fb7f5d 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/test_whitespace.py
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/test_whitespace.py
@@ -1,41 +1,35 @@
 """Test that tokens are created correctly for whitespace."""
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-from spacy.en import English
 import pytest
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def EN():
-    return English().tokenizer
-
-
-def test_single_space(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello possums')
+def test_single_space(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello possums')
     assert len(tokens) == 2
 
 
-def test_double_space(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello  possums')
+def test_double_space(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello  possums')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
     assert tokens[1].orth_ == ' '
 
 
-def test_newline(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello\npossums')
+def test_newline(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello\npossums')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
 
 
-def test_newline_space(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello \npossums')
+def test_newline_space(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello \npossums')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
 
 
-def test_newline_double_space(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello  \npossums')
+def test_newline_double_space(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello  \npossums')
     assert len(tokens) == 3
 
 
-def test_newline_space_wrap(EN):
-    tokens = EN('hello \n possums')
+def test_newline_space_wrap(en_tokenizer):
+    tokens = en_tokenizer('hello \n possums')
     assert len(tokens) == 3