diff --git a/parser/parser_misc.c b/parser/parser_misc.c
index 85a45d514..3d06b79aa 100644
--- a/parser/parser_misc.c
+++ b/parser/parser_misc.c
@@ -939,85 +939,40 @@ int test_str_to_boolean(void)
 	return rc;
 }
 
+#define MY_TEST_UNQUOTED(input, expected, description) \
+	do { 										\
+		char *result_str = NULL;						\
+		char *output_str = NULL;						\
+											\
+		result_str = processunquoted((input), strlen((input)));			\
+		asprintf(&output_str, "processunquoted: %s\tinput = '%s'\texpected = '%s'\tresult = '%s'", \
+				(description), (input), (expected), result_str);	\
+		MY_TEST(strcmp((expected), result_str) == 0, output_str);		\
+											\
+		free(output_str);							\
+		free(result_str); 							\
+	}										\
+	while(0)
+
 int test_processunquoted(void)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
-	const char *teststring;
-	const char *resultstring;
 
-	teststring = "";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(teststring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on empty string");
-
-	teststring = "\\1";
-	resultstring = "\001";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on one digit octal");
-
-	teststring = "\\8";
-	resultstring = "\\8";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on invalid octal digit \\8");
-
-	teststring = "\\18";
-	resultstring = "\0018";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on one digit octal followed by invalid octal digit");
-
-	teststring = "\\1a";
-	resultstring = "\001a";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on one digit octal followed by hex digit a");
-
-	teststring = "\\1z";
-	resultstring = "\001z";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on one digit octal follow by char z");
-
-	teststring = "\\11";
-	resultstring = "\011";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on two digit octal");
-
-	teststring = "\\118";
-	resultstring = "\0118";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on two digit octal followed by invalid octal digit");
-
-	teststring = "\\11a";
-	resultstring = "\011a";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on two digit octal followed by hex digit a");
-
-	teststring = "\\11z";
-	resultstring = "\011z";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on two digit octal followed by char z");
-
-	teststring = "\\111";
-	resultstring = "\111";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on three digit octal");
-
-	teststring = "\\378";
-	resultstring = "\0378";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on three digit octal two large, taken as 2 digit octal plus trailing char");
-
-	teststring = "123\\421123";
-	resultstring = "123\0421123";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on two character octal followed by valid octal digit \\421");
-
-	teststring = "123\\109123";
-	resultstring = "123\109123";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on octal 109");
-
-	teststring = "123\\1089123";
-	resultstring = "123\1089123";
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(resultstring, processunquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring))) == 0,
-			"processunquoted on octal 108");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("", "", "empty string");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\1", "\001", "one digit octal");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\8", "\\8", "invalid octal digit \\8");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\18", "\0018", "one digit octal followed by invalid octal digit");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\1a", "\001a", "one digit octal followed by hex digit a");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\1z", "\001z", "one digit octal follow by char z");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\11", "\011", "two digit octal");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\118", "\0118", "two digit octal followed by invalid octal digit");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\11a", "\011a", "two digit octal followed by hex digit a");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\11z", "\011z", "two digit octal followed by char z");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\111", "\111", "three digit octal");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("\\378", "\0378", "three digit octal two large, taken as 2 digit octal plus trailing char");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("123\\421123", "123\0421123", "two character octal followed by valid octal digit \\421");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("123\\109123", "123\109123", "octal 109");
+	MY_TEST_UNQUOTED("123\\1089123", "123\1089123", "octal 108");
 
 	return rc;
 }
@@ -1116,12 +1071,14 @@ int test_processquoted(void)
 	out = processquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring));
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(processedstring, out) == 0,
 			"processquoted passthrough quoted one digit trailing octal \\4");
+	free(out);
 
 	teststring = "\"abcdefg\\04\"";
 	processedstring = "abcdefg\004";
 	out = processquoted(teststring, strlen(teststring));
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(processedstring, out) == 0,
 			"processquoted passthrough quoted two digit trailing octal \\04");
+	free(out);
 
 	teststring = "\"abcdefg\\004\"";
 	processedstring = "abcdefg\004";
diff --git a/parser/parser_regex.c b/parser/parser_regex.c
index a138b4325..060405c34 100644
--- a/parser/parser_regex.c
+++ b/parser/parser_regex.c
@@ -792,46 +792,40 @@ out:
 
 #include "unit_test.h"
 
+#define MY_FILTER_TEST(input, expected_str)	\
+	do {												\
+		char *test_string = NULL;								\
+		char *output_string = NULL;								\
+													\
+		test_string = strdup((input)); 								\
+		filter_slashes(test_string); 								\
+		asprintf(&output_string, "simple filter / conversion for '%s'\texpected = '%s'\tresult = '%s'", \
+				(input), (expected_str), test_string);					\
+		MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, (expected_str)) == 0, output_string);			\
+													\
+		free(test_string);									\
+		free(output_string);									\
+	}												\
+	while (0)
+
 static int test_filter_slashes(void)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
-	char *test_string;
 
-	test_string = strdup("///foo//////f//oo////////////////");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/foo/f/oo/") == 0, "simple tests");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("///foo//////f//oo////////////////", "/foo/f/oo/");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("/foo/f/oo", "/foo/f/oo");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("/", "/");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("", "");
 
-	test_string = strdup("/foo/f/oo");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/foo/f/oo") == 0, "simple test for no changes");
+	/* tests for "//" namespace */
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("//usr", "//usr");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("//", "//");
 
-	test_string = strdup("/");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/") == 0, "simple test for '/'");
+	/* tests for not "//" namespace */
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("///usr", "/usr");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("///", "/");
 
-	test_string = strdup("");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "") == 0, "simple test for ''");
-
-	test_string = strdup("//usr");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "//usr") == 0, "simple test for // namespace");
-
-	test_string = strdup("//");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "//") == 0, "simple test 2 for // namespace");
-
-	test_string = strdup("///usr");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/usr") == 0, "simple test for ///usr");
-
-	test_string = strdup("///");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/") == 0, "simple test for ///");
-
-	test_string = strdup("/a/");
-	filter_slashes(test_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(test_string, "/a/") == 0, "simple test for /a/");
+	MY_FILTER_TEST("/a/", "/a/");
 
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/parser/parser_variable.c b/parser/parser_variable.c
index 15a439119..3665fe773 100644
--- a/parser/parser_variable.c
+++ b/parser/parser_variable.c
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ int test_split_string(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split string 1 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split string 1 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "@{%s}%s", var, suffix);
 	var_start = tst_string;
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ int test_split_string(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split string 2 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split string 2 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s}", prefix, var);
 	var_start = tst_string + strlen(prefix);
@@ -402,6 +404,7 @@ int test_split_string(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split string 3 var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct->suffix == NULL, "split string 3 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "@{%s}", var);
 	var_start = tst_string;
@@ -411,6 +414,7 @@ int test_split_string(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split string 4 var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct->suffix == NULL, "split string 4 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	return rc;
 }
@@ -433,6 +437,7 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 1 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out var 1 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* no prefix */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "@{%s}%s", var, suffix);
@@ -441,6 +446,7 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 2 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out var 2 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* no suffix */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s}", prefix, var);
@@ -449,6 +455,7 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 3 var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct->suffix == NULL, "split out var 3 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* var only */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "@{%s}", var);
@@ -457,32 +464,39 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 4 var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct->suffix == NULL, "split out var 4 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* quoted var, shouldn't split  */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s\\@{%s}%s", prefix, var, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct == NULL, "split out var - quoted @");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* quoted \, split should succeed */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s\\\\@{%s}%s", prefix, var, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->prefix, strndup(tst_string, strlen(prefix) + 2)) == 0, "split out var 5 prefix");
+	tmp = strndup(tst_string, strlen(prefix) + 2);
+	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->prefix, tmp) == 0, "split out var 5 prefix");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 5 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out var 5 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
+	free(tmp);
 
 	/* un terminated var, should fail */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s%s", prefix, var, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct == NULL, "split out var - un-terminated var");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* invalid char in var, should fail */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s^%s}%s", prefix, var, var, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct == NULL, "split out var - invalid char in var");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* two vars, should only strip out first */
 	asprintf(&tmp, "@{%s}%s}", suffix, suffix);
@@ -492,14 +506,19 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 6 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, tmp) == 0, "split out var 6 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
+	free(tmp);
 
 	/* quoted @ followed by var, split should succeed */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s\\@@{%s}%s", prefix, var, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
-	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->prefix, strndup(tst_string, strlen(prefix) + 2)) == 0, "split out var 7 prefix");
+	tmp = strndup(tst_string, strlen(prefix) + 2);
+	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->prefix, tmp) == 0, "split out var 7 prefix");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->var, var) == 0, "split out var 7 var");
 	MY_TEST(strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out var 7 suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
+	free(tmp);
 
 	/* numeric char in var, should succeed */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s}%s", prefix, var2, suffix);
@@ -508,12 +527,14 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct && strcmp(ret_struct->var, var2) == 0, "split numeric var var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct && strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out numeric var suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* numeric first char in var, should fail */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{6%s}%s", prefix, var2, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct == NULL, "split out var - numeric first char in var");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* underscore char in var, should succeed */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{%s}%s", prefix, var3, suffix);
@@ -522,12 +543,14 @@ int test_split_out_var(void)
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct && strcmp(ret_struct->var, var3) == 0, "split out underscore var");
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct && strcmp(ret_struct->suffix, suffix) == 0, "split out underscore var suffix");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	/* underscore first char in var, should fail */
 	asprintf(&tst_string, "%s@{_%s%s}%s", prefix, var2, var3, suffix);
 	ret_struct = split_out_var(tst_string);
 	MY_TEST(ret_struct == NULL, "split out var - underscore first char in var");
 	free_var_string(ret_struct);
+	free(tst_string);
 
 	return rc;
 }