diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 7b8baf8aae3a..32e476cacc5a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 import warnings
 import re
 
-from matplotlib import cbook
+from matplotlib import cbook, testing
 from matplotlib.cbook import mplDeprecation, deprecated, ls_mapper
 from matplotlib.fontconfig_pattern import parse_fontconfig_pattern
 from matplotlib.colors import is_color_like
@@ -266,19 +266,28 @@ def validate_backend(s):
         return _validate_standard_backends(s)
 
 
-@deprecated("2.2",
+def validate_qt4(s):
+    # Don't spam the test suite with warnings every time the rcparams are
+    # reset.  While it may seem better to use filterwarnings from within the
+    # test suite, pytest 3.1+ explicitly disregards warnings filters (pytest
+    # issue #2430).
+    if not testing.is_called_from_pytest():
+        cbook.warn_deprecated(
+            "2.2",
             "The backend.qt4 rcParam was deprecated in version 2.2.  In order "
             "to force the use of a specific Qt4 binding, either import that "
             "binding first, or set the QT_API environment variable.")
-def validate_qt4(s):
     return ValidateInStrings("backend.qt4", ['PyQt4', 'PySide', 'PyQt4v2'])(s)
 
 
-@deprecated("2.2",
+def validate_qt5(s):
+    # See comment re: validate_qt4.
+    if not testing.is_called_from_pytest():
+        cbook.warn_deprecated(
+            "2.2",
             "The backend.qt5 rcParam was deprecated in version 2.2.  In order "
             "to force the use of a specific Qt5 binding, either import that "
             "binding first, or set the QT_API environment variable.")
-def validate_qt5(s):
     return ValidateInStrings("backend.qt5", ['PyQt5', 'PySide2'])(s)
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/testing/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/testing/__init__.py
index 36a7403698f2..2bd4425a2bac 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/testing/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/testing/__init__.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 import functools
 import warnings
 
-import matplotlib
-from matplotlib import cbook, rcParams, rcdefaults, use
+import matplotlib as mpl
+from matplotlib import cbook
 
 
 def _is_list_like(obj):
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def _is_list_like(obj):
 
 def is_called_from_pytest():
     """Returns whether the call was done from pytest"""
-    return getattr(matplotlib, '_called_from_pytest', False)
+    return getattr(mpl, '_called_from_pytest', False)
 
 
 def _copy_metadata(src_func, tgt_func):
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ def _copy_metadata(src_func, tgt_func):
 
 
 def set_font_settings_for_testing():
-    rcParams['font.family'] = 'DejaVu Sans'
-    rcParams['text.hinting'] = False
-    rcParams['text.hinting_factor'] = 8
+    mpl.rcParams['font.family'] = 'DejaVu Sans'
+    mpl.rcParams['text.hinting'] = False
+    mpl.rcParams['text.hinting_factor'] = 8
 
 
 def set_reproducibility_for_testing():
-    rcParams['svg.hashsalt'] = 'matplotlib'
+    mpl.rcParams['svg.hashsalt'] = 'matplotlib'
 
 
 def setup():
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ def setup():
                 "Could not set locale to English/United States. "
                 "Some date-related tests may fail")
 
-    use('Agg', warn=False)  # use Agg backend for these tests
+    mpl.use('Agg', warn=False)  # use Agg backend for these tests
 
     # These settings *must* be hardcoded for running the comparison
     # tests and are not necessarily the default values as specified in
     # rcsetup.py
-    rcdefaults()  # Start with all defaults
+    mpl.rcdefaults()  # Start with all defaults
 
     set_font_settings_for_testing()
     set_reproducibility_for_testing()