diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_container.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_container.py
index baf108f..8cbabcb 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_container.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_container.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 import time
 from xossynchronizer.steps.SyncInstanceUsingAnsible import SyncInstanceUsingAnsible
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import DeferredException
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 # hpclibrary will be in steps/..
 parentdir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..")
@@ -29,19 +28,18 @@
 
 
 class SyncContainer(SyncInstanceUsingAnsible):
-    provides = [Instance]
-    observes = Instance
+    observes = "Instance"
     template_name = "sync_container.yaml"
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(SyncContainer, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def fetch_pending(self, deletion=False):
-        i = Instance()
+        i = self.model_accessor.Instance()
         i.name = "Spectacular Sponge"
-        j = Instance()
+        j = self.model_accessor.Instance()
         j.name = "Spontaneous Tent"
-        k = Instance()
+        k = self.model_accessor.Instance()
         k.name = "Embarrassed Cat"
 
         objs = [i, j, k]
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_images.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_images.py
index 84a43b1..ef85983 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_images.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_images.py
@@ -16,17 +16,15 @@
 import os
 import base64
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncControllerImages(SyncStep):
-    provides = [ControllerImages]
-    observes = ControllerImages
+    observes = "ControllerImages"
     requested_interval = 0
     playbook = "sync_controller_images.yaml"
 
     def fetch_pending(self, deleted):
-        ci = ControllerImages()
-        i = Image()
+        ci = self.model_accessor.ControllerImages()
+        i = self.model_accessor.Image()
         i.name = "Lush Loss"
         ci.i = i
         return [ci]
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_networks.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_networks.py
index 1133545..55dfe4e 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_networks.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_networks.py
@@ -19,20 +19,18 @@
 import socket
 from netaddr import IPAddress, IPNetwork
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncControllerNetworks(SyncStep):
     requested_interval = 0
-    provides = [Network]
-    observes = ControllerNetwork
-    external_dependencies = [User]
+    observes = "ControllerNetwork"
+    external_dependencies = ["User"]
     playbook = "sync_controller_networks.yaml"
 
     def fetch_pending(self, deleted):
-        ci = ControllerNetwork()
-        i = Network()
+        ci = self.model_accessor.ControllerNetwork()
+        i = self.model_accessor.Network()
         i.name = "Lush Loss"
-        s = Slice()
+        s = self.model_accessor.Slice()
         s.name = "Ghastly Notebook"
         i.owner = s
         ci.i = i
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_site_privileges.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_site_privileges.py
index 65d3985..e286ef8 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_site_privileges.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_site_privileges.py
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@
 import base64
 import json
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncControllerSitePrivileges(SyncStep):
-    provides = [SitePrivilege]
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = ControllerSitePrivilege
+    observes = "ControllerSitePrivilege"
     playbook = "sync_controller_users.yaml"
 
     def map_sync_inputs(self, controller_site_privilege):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_sites.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_sites.py
index 509a45c..24aa76f 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_sites.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_sites.py
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@
 import base64
 import json
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncControllerSites(SyncStep):
     requested_interval = 0
-    provides = [Site]
-    observes = ControllerSite
+    observes = "ControllerSite"
     playbook = "sync_controller_sites.yaml"
 
     def fetch_pending(self, deleted=False):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slice_privileges.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slice_privileges.py
index ec0667c..09b63e6 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slice_privileges.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slice_privileges.py
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@
 import base64
 import json
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncControllerSlicePrivileges(SyncStep):
-    provides = [SlicePrivilege]
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = ControllerSlicePrivilege
+    observes = "ControllerSlicePrivilege"
     playbook = "sync_controller_users.yaml"
 
     def map_sync_inputs(self, controller_slice_privilege):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slices.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slices.py
index 0f43bad..31c62f1 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slices.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_slices.py
@@ -15,13 +15,12 @@
 
 import os
 import base64
-from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep, DeferredException
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
+from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import DeferredException
+from xossynchronizer.steps.ansiblesyncstep import AnsibleSyncStep
 
-class SyncControllerSlices(SyncStep):
-    provides = [Slice]
+class SyncControllerSlices(AnsibleSyncStep):
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = ControllerSlice
+    observes = "ControllerSlice"
     playbook = "sync_controller_slices.yaml"
 
     def map_sync_inputs(self, controller_slice):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_users.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_users.py
index 881e78a..a039257 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_users.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_controller_users.py
@@ -16,13 +16,11 @@
 import os
 import base64
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 
 class SyncControllerUsers(SyncStep):
-    provides = [User]
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = ControllerUser
+    observes = "ControllerUser"
     playbook = "sync_controller_users.yaml"
 
     def map_sync_inputs(self, controller_user):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_images.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_images.py
index 2284ed2..b3ed9bd 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_images.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_images.py
@@ -13,15 +13,11 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 
-import os
-import base64
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 class SyncImages(SyncStep):
-    provides = [Image]
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = [Image]
+    observes = ["Image"]
 
     def sync_record(self, role):
         # do nothing
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_instances.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_instances.py
index 479b87d..1a70884 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_instances.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_instances.py
@@ -14,13 +14,7 @@
 
 
 import os
-import base64
-import socket
-from xossynchronizer.steps import syncstep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
-
-RESTAPI_HOSTNAME = socket.gethostname()
-RESTAPI_PORT = "8000"
+from xossynchronizer.steps import ansiblesyncstep
 
 
 def escape(s):
@@ -28,10 +22,10 @@
     return s
 
 
-class SyncInstances(syncstep.SyncStep):
-    provides = [Instance]
+class SyncInstances(ansiblesyncstep.AnsibleSyncStep):
     requested_interval = 0
-    observes = Instance
+    # This observes is intentionally a list of one string, to test steps where observes is a list of strings.
+    observes = ["Instance"]
     playbook = "sync_instances.yaml"
 
     def fetch_pending(self, deletion=False):
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_ports.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_ports.py
index 77209a5..a7eb7d1 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_ports.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_ports.py
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
 import os
 import base64
 from xossynchronizer.steps.syncstep import SyncStep
-from xossynchronizer.mock_modelaccessor import *
 
 
 class SyncPort(SyncStep):
-    requested_interval = 0  # 3600
-    provides = [Port]
-    observes = Port
+    requested_interval = 0
+
+    # This observes is intentionally a string, to test steps where observes is a string
+    observes = "Port"
 
     def call(self, failed=[], deletion=False):
         if deletion:
diff --git a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_roles.py b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_roles.py
index e8b1364..7298a64 100644
--- a/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_roles.py
+++ b/lib/xos-synchronizer/tests/steps/sync_roles.py
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@
 
 
 class SyncRoles(SyncStep):
-    provides = [Role]
     requested_interval = 0
+
+    # This observes is intentionally a list of three classes, to test steps where observes is a list of classes.
     observes = [SiteRole, SliceRole, ControllerRole]
 
     def sync_record(self, role):