diff --git a/spec/integration/application/apply_spec.rb b/spec/integration/application/apply_spec.rb
index 1aeb44f3c..7342c212f 100755
--- a/spec/integration/application/apply_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/application/apply_spec.rb
@@ -1,147 +1,134 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env ruby
 require 'spec_helper'
 require 'puppet_spec/files'
 require 'puppet/application/apply'
 
 describe "apply" do
   include PuppetSpec::Files
 
   before :each do
     Puppet[:reports] = "none"
   end
 
+  def tmpfile_with_content(name, content)
+    result = tmpfile(name)
+    File.open(result, "w") do |f|
+      f.puts [ content ].flatten * "\n"
+    end
+    result
+  end
+
   describe "when applying provided catalogs" do
     it "can apply catalogs provided in a file in pson" do
       file_to_create = tmpfile("pson_catalog")
       catalog = Puppet::Resource::Catalog.new('mine', Puppet.lookup(:environments).get(Puppet[:environment]))
       resource = Puppet::Resource.new(:file, file_to_create, :parameters => {:content => "my stuff"})
       catalog.add_resource resource
 
       manifest = tmpfile("manifest")
 
       File.open(manifest, "w") { |f| f.print catalog.to_pson }
       puppet = Puppet::Application[:apply]
       puppet.options[:catalog] = manifest
 
       puppet.apply
 
       expect(Puppet::FileSystem.exist?(file_to_create)).to be_true
       expect(File.read(file_to_create)).to eq("my stuff")
     end
   end
 
   it "applies a given file even when a directory environment is specified" do
-    manifest = tmpfile("manifest.pp")
-    File.open(manifest, "w") do |f|
-      f.puts <<-EOF
-      notice('it was applied')
-      EOF
-    end
+    manifest = tmpfile_with_content("manifest.pp", "notice('it was applied')")
 
     special = Puppet::Node::Environment.create(:special, [])
     Puppet.override(:current_environment => special) do
       Puppet[:environment] = 'special'
       puppet = Puppet::Application[:apply]
       puppet.stubs(:command_line).returns(stub('command_line', :args => [manifest]))
       expect { puppet.run_command }.to exit_with(0)
     end
 
     expect(@logs.map(&:to_s)).to include('it was applied')
   end
 
   it "applies a given file even when an ENC is configured", :if => !Puppet.features.microsoft_windows? do
-    manifest = tmpfile("manifest.pp")
-    File.open(manifest, "w") do |f|
-      f.puts <<-EOF
-      notice('specific manifest applied')
-      EOF
-    end
+    manifest = tmpfile_with_content("manifest.pp", "notice('specific manifest applied')")
 
-    site_manifest = tmpfile("site_manifest.pp")
-    File.open(site_manifest, "w") do |f|
-      f.puts <<-EOF
-      notice('the site manifest was applied instead')
-      EOF
-    end
+    site_manifest = tmpfile_with_content("site_manifest.pp", "notice('the site manifest was applied instead')")
 
-    enc = tmpfile("enc_script")
-    File.open(enc, "w") do |f|
-      f.puts <<-EOF
-      #!/bin/sh
-      echo 'classes: []'
-      EOF
-    end
+    enc = tmpfile_with_content("enc_script", ["#!/bin/sh", "echo 'classes: []'"])
     File.chmod(0755, enc)
 
     special = Puppet::Node::Environment.create(:special, [])
     Puppet.override(:current_environment => special) do
       Puppet[:environment] = 'special'
       Puppet[:node_terminus] = 'exec'
       Puppet[:external_nodes] = enc
       Puppet[:manifest] = site_manifest
       puppet = Puppet::Application[:apply]
       puppet.stubs(:command_line).returns(stub('command_line', :args => [manifest]))
       expect { puppet.run_command }.to exit_with(0)
     end
 
     expect(@logs.map(&:to_s)).to include('specific manifest applied')
   end
 
   context "with a module" do
     let(:modulepath) { tmpdir('modulepath') }
     let(:execute) { 'include amod' }
     let(:args) { ['-e', execute, '--modulepath', modulepath] }
 
     before(:each) do
       Puppet::FileSystem.mkpath("#{modulepath}/amod/manifests")
       File.open("#{modulepath}/amod/manifests/init.pp", "w") do |f|
         f.puts <<-EOF
         class amod{
           notice('amod class included')
         }
         EOF
       end
       environmentdir = Dir.mktmpdir('environments')
       Puppet[:environmentpath] = environmentdir
       create_default_directory_environment
     end
 
     def create_default_directory_environment
       Puppet::FileSystem.mkpath("#{Puppet[:environmentpath]}/#{Puppet[:environment]}")
     end
 
     def init_cli_args_and_apply_app(args, execute)
       Puppet.initialize_settings(args)
       puppet = Puppet::Application.find(:apply).new(stub('command_line', :subcommand_name => :apply, :args => args))
       puppet.options[:code] = execute
       return puppet
     end
 
     it "looks in --modulepath even when the default directory environment exists" do
       apply = init_cli_args_and_apply_app(args, execute)
 
       expect do
         expect { apply.run }.to exit_with(0)
       end.to have_printed('amod class included')
     end
 
     it "looks in --modulepath even when given a specific directory --environment" do
       args << '--environment' << 'production'
       apply = init_cli_args_and_apply_app(args, execute)
 
       expect do
         expect { apply.run }.to exit_with(0)
       end.to have_printed('amod class included')
     end
 
     it "looks in --modulepath when given multiple paths in --modulepath" do
       args = ['-e', execute, '--modulepath', [tmpdir('notmodulepath'), modulepath].join(File::PATH_SEPARATOR)]
       apply = init_cli_args_and_apply_app(args, execute)
 
       expect do
         expect { apply.run }.to exit_with(0)
       end.to have_printed('amod class included')
     end
   end
 
 end