diff --git a/spyder/workers/tests/test_update.py b/spyder/workers/tests/test_update.py
index a283109739d..d61e3f81bbb 100644
--- a/spyder/workers/tests/test_update.py
+++ b/spyder/workers/tests/test_update.py
@@ -10,49 +10,46 @@
 from spyder.workers.updates import WorkerUpdates
 
 
-def test_update(qtbot):
+@pytest.fixture
+def worker():
+    return WorkerUpdates(None)
+
+
+def test_update(qtbot, worker):
     """Test we offer updates for lower versions."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="1.0.0")
+    worker.version = "1.0.0"
     worker.start()
     assert worker.update_available
 
 
-def test_no_update(qtbot):
+def test_no_update(qtbot, worker):
     """Test we don't offer updates for very high versions."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="1000.0.0")
-    worker.start()
-    assert not worker.update_available
-
-
-def test_no_update_development(qtbot):
-    """Test we don't offer updates for development versions."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="3.3.2.dev0",
-                           releases=['3.3.1'])
+    worker.version = "1000.0.0"
     worker.start()
     assert not worker.update_available
 
 
-def test_update_pre_to_pre(qtbot):
+def test_update_pre_to_pre(qtbot, worker):
     """Test we offer updates between prereleases."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="4.0.0a1",
-                           releases=['4.0.0b5'])
+    worker.version = "4.0.0a1"
+    worker.releases = ['4.0.0b5']
     worker.start()
     assert worker.update_available
 
 
-def test_update_pre_to_final(qtbot):
+def test_update_pre_to_final(qtbot, worker):
     """Test we offer updates from prereleases to the final versions."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="4.0.0b3",
-                           releases=['4.0.0'])
+    worker.version = "4.0.0b3"
+    worker.releases = ['4.0.0']
     worker.start()
     assert worker.update_available
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not is_anaconda(),
                     reason='It only makes sense for Anaconda.')
-def test_releases_anaconda(qtbot):
+def test_releases_anaconda(qtbot, worker):
     """Test we don't include spyder-kernels releases in detected releases."""
-    worker = WorkerUpdates(None, False, version="3.3.1")
+    worker.version = "3.3.1"
     worker.start()
     assert '0.2.4' not in worker.releases
 
diff --git a/spyder/workers/updates.py b/spyder/workers/updates.py
index 5e6a1c45cfd..db88597f532 100644
--- a/spyder/workers/updates.py
+++ b/spyder/workers/updates.py
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 
 # Local imports
 from spyder import __version__
-from spyder.config.base import _, is_stable_version, is_conda_based_app
+from spyder.config.base import (_, is_stable_version, is_conda_based_app,
+                                running_under_pytest)
 from spyder.py3compat import is_text_string
 from spyder.utils.programs import check_version
 
@@ -52,16 +53,12 @@ class WorkerUpdates(QObject):
     """
     sig_ready = Signal()
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, version=""):
+    def __init__(self, parent):
         QObject.__init__(self)
         self._parent = parent
         self.error = None
         self.releases = []
-
-        if not version:
-            self.version = __version__
-        else:
-            self.version = version
+        self.version = __version__
 
         self.update_available = None
         self.latest_release = None
@@ -111,6 +108,10 @@ def get_releases(self):
                 data = data.decode()
             data = json.loads(data)
 
+            if running_under_pytest() and self.releases:
+                # If releases set in pytest, don't overwrite
+                return
+
             if self.update_from_github:
                 self.releases = [item['tag_name'].replace('v', '')
                                  for item in data]
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ def start(self):
         logger.debug("Starting WorkerUpdates.")
 
         self.update_available = False
-        self.latest_release = __version__
+        self.latest_release = self.version
         self.error = None
 
         try:
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ def _download_installer(self):
             dir_path, self.latest_release_version)
         os.makedirs(installer_dir_path, exist_ok=True)
         for file in os.listdir(dir_path):
-            if file not in [__version__, self.latest_release_version]:
+            if file not in [self.version, self.latest_release_version]:
                 remove = osp.join(dir_path, file)
                 os.remove(remove)