diff --git a/features/conversations.feature b/features/conversations.feature
index ecee04472..db3d5e2fc 100644
--- a/features/conversations.feature
+++ b/features/conversations.feature
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Feature: private messages
     Given a user with username "bob"
     And a user named "Alice Awesome" with email "alice@alice.alice"
     When I sign in as "bob@bob.bob"
-    And a user with username "bob" is connected with "Alice_Awesome"
+    And a user with username "bob" is connected with "alice_awesome"
 
   Scenario: send a message
     Given I send a message with subject "Greetings" and text "hello, alice!" to "Alice Awesome"
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
index d4a09e765..b488ec61c 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ end
 Given /^a user named "([^\"]*)" with email "([^\"]*)"$/ do |name, email|
   first, last = name.split
   username = "#{first}_#{last}" if first
-  user = Factory(:user, :email => email, :password => 'password', :username => "#{first}_#{last}",
+  user = Factory.create(:user, :email => email, :password => 'password', :username => "#{first}_#{last}",
                  :password_confirmation => 'password', :getting_started => false)
-  user.profile.update_attributes(:first_name => first, :last_name => last) if first
-  user.aspects.create(:name => "Besties")
-  user.aspects.create(:name => "Unicorns")
+
+  user.profile.update_attributes!(:first_name => first, :last_name => last) if first
+  user.aspects.create!(:name => "Besties")
+  user.aspects.create!(:name => "Unicorns")
 end
 
 Given /^I have been invited by an admin$/ do
diff --git a/spec/models/aspect_spec.rb b/spec/models/aspect_spec.rb
index 66377aaed..349ef082a 100644
--- a/spec/models/aspect_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/aspect_spec.rb
@@ -5,29 +5,20 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Aspect do
-  let(:user ) { alice }
-  let(:connected_person) { Factory.create(:person) }
-  let(:user2) { eve }
-  let(:connected_person_2) { Factory.create(:person) }
-
-  let(:aspect) {user.aspects.first }
-  let(:aspect2) {user2.aspects.first }
-  let(:aspect1) {user.aspects.create(:name => 'cats')}
-  let(:user3) {Factory.create(:user)}
-  let(:aspect3) {user3.aspects.create(:name => "lala")}
-
   describe 'creation' do
-    let!(:aspect){user.aspects.create(:name => 'losers')}
+    before do
+      @name = alice.aspects.first.name
+    end
 
     it 'does not allow duplicate names' do
       lambda {
-        invalid_aspect = user.aspects.create(:name => "losers ")
+        invalid_aspect = alice.aspects.create(:name => @name)
       }.should_not change(Aspect, :count)
     end
 
     it 'validates case insensitiveness on names' do
       lambda {
-        invalid_aspect = user.aspects.create(:name => "Losers ")
+        invalid_aspect = alice.aspects.create(:name => @name.titleize)
       }.should_not change(Aspect, :count)
     end
 
@@ -37,26 +28,23 @@ describe Aspect do
     end
 
     it 'is able to have other users as contacts' do
-      Contact.create(:user => user, :person => user2.person, :aspects => [aspect])
-      aspect.contacts.where(:person_id => user.person.id).should be_empty
-      aspect.contacts.where(:person_id => user2.person.id).should_not be_empty
+      aspect = alice.aspects.create(:name => 'losers')
+
+      Contact.create(:user => alice, :person => eve.person, :aspects => [aspect])
+      aspect.contacts.where(:person_id => alice.person.id).should be_empty
+      aspect.contacts.where(:person_id => eve.person.id).should_not be_empty
       aspect.contacts.size.should == 1
     end
 
     it 'has a contacts_visible? method' do
-      aspect.contacts_visible?.should be_true
+      alice.aspects.first.contacts_visible?.should be_true
     end
   end
 
   describe 'validation' do
-    it 'has a unique name for one user' do
-      aspect2 = user.aspects.create(:name => aspect.name)
-      aspect2.valid?.should be_false
-    end
-
-    it 'has no uniqueness between users' do
-      aspect = user.aspects.create(:name => "New Aspect")
-      aspect2 = user2.aspects.create(:name => aspect.name)
+    it 'has no uniqueness of name between users' do
+      aspect = alice.aspects.create(:name => "New Aspect")
+      aspect2 = eve.aspects.create(:name => aspect.name)
       aspect2.should be_valid
     end
   end