diff --git a/test/powershell/New-Variable.Tests.ps1 b/test/powershell/New-Variable.Tests.ps1
index 27b75cc2b8..6499838edf 100644
--- a/test/powershell/New-Variable.Tests.ps1
+++ b/test/powershell/New-Variable.Tests.ps1
@@ -84,10 +84,11 @@ Describe "New-Variable" {
 	(Get-Variable var1).Description | Should Be "Test Description"
     }
 
-
     It "Should be able to be called with the nv alias" {
-	{ nv var1 }   | Should Not Throw
-	{ nv var1 2 } | Should Not Throw
+	nv var1
+	$var1 | Should BeNullOrEmpty
+	nv var2 2
+	$var2 | Should Be 2
     }
 
     It "Should not be able to set the name of a new variable to that of an old variable within same scope when the Force switch is missing" {
@@ -119,9 +120,7 @@ Describe "New-Variable" {
     It "Should be able to pipe object properties to output using the PassThru switch" {
 	$in = Set-Variable -Name testVar -Value "test" -Description "test description" -PassThru
 
-	$output = $in | Format-List -Property Description | Out-String
-
-	$output.Trim() | Should Be "Description : test description"
+	$in.Description | Should Be "test description"
     }
 
     It "Should be able to set the value using the value switch" {
@@ -131,80 +130,70 @@ Describe "New-Variable" {
     }
 
     Context "Option tests" {
-	BeforeEach {
-	    # verify that the test variable doesn't exist
-!!$var1 | Should Be $false
-}
-It "Should be able to use the options switch without error" {
-    { New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option Unspecified } | Should Not Throw
-}
+	It "Should be able to use the options switch without error" {
+		{ New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option Unspecified } | Should Not Throw
+	}
 
-It "Should default to none as the value for options" {
-    New-Variable -Name var2 -Value 4 -PassThru| Format-List | Out-String | Should Match "Options     : None"
-}
+	It "Should default to none as the value for options" {
+		 (new-variable -name var2 -value 4 -passthru).Options | should be "None" 
+	}
 
-It "Should be able to set ReadOnly option" {
-    { New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option ReadOnly } | Should Not Throw
-}
+	It "Should be able to set ReadOnly option" {
+		{ New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option ReadOnly } | Should Not Throw
+	}
 
-It "Should not be able to change variable created using the ReadOnly option when the Force switch is not used" {
-    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option ReadOnly
+	It "Should not be able to change variable created using the ReadOnly option when the Force switch is not used" {
+		New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option ReadOnly
 
-    Set-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+		Set-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
-    $var1 | Should Not Be 2
-}
+		$var1 | Should Not Be 2
+	}
 
-It "Should be able to set a new variable to constant" {
-    { New-Variable -Name var1 -Option Constant } | Should Not Throw
-}
+	It "Should be able to set a new variable to constant" {
+		{ New-Variable -Name var1 -Option Constant } | Should Not Throw
+	}
 
-It "Should not be able to change an existing variable to constant" {
-    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -PassThru
+	It "Should not be able to change an existing variable to constant" {
+		New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -PassThru
 
-    Set-Variable -Name var1 -Option Constant  -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+		Set-Variable -Name var1 -Option Constant  -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
-    $var1 | Format-List | Out-String | Should Not Match "Options     : None"
+		(Get-Variable var1).Options | should be "None" 
+	}
 
-}
+	It "Should not be able to delete a constant variable" {
+		New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option Constant
 
-It "Should not be able to delete a constant variable" {
-    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2 -Option Constant
+		Remove-Variable -Name var1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
-    Remove-Variable -Name var1 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+		$var1 | Should Be 2
+	}
 
-    !!$var1 | Should Be $true
+	It "Should not be able to change a constant variable" {
+		New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option Constant
 
-    $var1 | Should Be 2
-}
+		Set-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2  -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 
-It "Should not be able to change a constant variable" {
-    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option Constant
+		$var1 | Should Not Be 2
+	}
 
-    Set-Variable -Name var1 -Value 2  -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+	It "Should be able to create a variable as private without error" {
+		{ New-Variable -Name var1 -Option Private } | Should Not Throw
+	}
 
-    $var1 | Should Not Be 2
-}
+	It "Should be able to see the value of a private variable when within scope" {
 
-It "Should be able to create a variable as private without error" {
-    { New-Variable -Name var1 -Option Private } | Should Not Throw
-}
+		New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 100 -Option Private
 
-It "Should be able to see the value of a private variable when within scope" {
+		$var1 | Should Be 100
 
-    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 100 -Option Private
+	}
 
-    $var1 | Should Be 100
-
-}
-
-It "Should not be able to see the value of a private variable when out of scope" {
-    {
-	New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option Private
-    }
-
-    $var1 | Should Be # Nothing, since it's not defined in scope
+	It "Should not be able to see the value of a private variable when out of scope" {
+		{New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option Private}| Should Not Throw
 
+		$var1 | Should BeNullOrEmpty
 	}
 
 	It "Should be able to use the AllScope switch without error" {
@@ -213,30 +202,46 @@ It "Should not be able to see the value of a private variable when out of scope"
 
 	It "Should be able to see variable created using the AllScope switch in a child scope" {
 	    New-Variable -Name var1 -Value 1 -Option AllScope
-	    function myFunction {
-		if ( $var1 -eq 1 ) {
-		    $var1 = 2
-		}
-	    }
-	    myFunction
-
-	    $var1 | Should Be 2
-
+	    &{ $var1 = 2 }
+		$var1 | Should Be 2
 	}
 
     }
 
     Context "Scope Tests" {
-	It "Should be able to create a global scope variable using the global switch" {
-	    { New-Variable globalVar -Value 1 -Scope global -Force } | Should Not Throw
-	}
-
-	It "Should be able to create a local scope variable using the local switch" {
-	    { New-Variable localVar -Value 1 -Scope local -Force } | Should Not Throw
-	}
-
-	It "Should be able to create a script scope variable using the script switch" {
-	    { New-Variable scriptVar -Value 1 -Scope script -Force } | Should Not Throw
-	}
+    BeforeAll {
+        if ( get-variable -scope global -name globalVar1 -ea SilentlyContinue )
+        {
+            Remove-Variable -scope global -name globalVar1
+        }
+        if ( get-variable -scope script -name scriptvar -ea SilentlyContinue )
+        {
+            remove-variable -scope script -name scriptvar
+        }
+        # no check for local scope variable as that scope is created with test invocation
     }
+    AfterAll {
+        if ( get-variable -scope global -name globalVar1 )
+        {
+            Remove-Variable -scope global -name globalVar1
+        }
+        if ( get-variable -scope script -name scriptvar )
+        {
+            remove-variable -scope script -name scriptvar
+        }
+    }
+    It "Should be able to create a global scope variable using the global switch" {
+        new-variable -Scope global -name globalvar1 -value 1
+        get-variable -Scope global -name globalVar1 -ValueOnly | Should be 1
+    }
+    It "Should be able to create a local scope variable using the local switch" {
+        Get-Variable -scope local -name localvar -ValueOnly -ea silentlycontinue | should BeNullOrEmpty
+        New-Variable -Scope local -Name localVar -value 10 
+        get-variable -scope local -name localvar -ValueOnly | Should be 10
+    }
+    It "Should be able to create a script scope variable using the script switch" {
+        new-variable -scope script -name scriptvar -value 100
+        get-variable -scope script -name scriptvar -ValueOnly | should be 100
+    }
+	}
 }