diff --git a/command/apply_test.go b/command/apply_test.go
index ad6e5a9a0..bab8e0955 100644
--- a/command/apply_test.go
+++ b/command/apply_test.go
@@ -272,6 +272,14 @@ func TestApply_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	// create an existing state file
+	localState := &state.LocalState{Path: statePath}
+	if err := localState.WriteState(terraform.NewState()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	serial := localState.State().Serial
+
 	args := []string{
 		testFixturePath("apply"),
 	}
@@ -287,6 +295,10 @@ func TestApply_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 	if state == nil {
 		t.Fatal("state should not be nil")
 	}
+
+	if state.Serial <= serial {
+		t.Fatalf("serial was not incremented. previous:%d, current%d", serial, state.Serial)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestApply_error(t *testing.T) {
@@ -540,10 +552,8 @@ func TestApply_plan_backup(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %d\n\n%s", code, ui.ErrorWriter.String())
 	}
 
-	{
-		// Should have a backup file
-		testStateRead(t, backupPath)
-	}
+	// Should have a backup file
+	testStateRead(t, backupPath)
 }
 
 func TestApply_plan_noBackup(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/command/refresh_test.go b/command/refresh_test.go
index c53c84bd3..5a0cfd357 100644
--- a/command/refresh_test.go
+++ b/command/refresh_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/copy"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
 )
@@ -193,15 +194,11 @@ func TestRefresh_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	statePath := filepath.Join(td, DefaultStateFilename)
 
-	f, err := os.Create(statePath)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
-	}
-	err = terraform.WriteState(originalState, f)
-	f.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	localState := &state.LocalState{Path: statePath}
+	if err := localState.WriteState(originalState); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+	serial := localState.State().Serial
 
 	// Change to that directory
 	cwd, err := os.Getwd()
@@ -236,16 +233,7 @@ func TestRefresh_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("refresh should be called")
 	}
 
-	f, err = os.Open(statePath)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	newState, err := terraform.ReadState(f)
-	f.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
-	}
+	newState := testStateRead(t, statePath)
 
 	actual := newState.RootModule().Resources["test_instance.foo"].Primary
 	expected := p.RefreshReturn
@@ -254,16 +242,11 @@ func TestRefresh_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad:\n%#v", actual)
 	}
 
-	f, err = os.Open(statePath + DefaultBackupExtension)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	if newState.Serial <= serial {
+		t.Fatalf("serial not incremented during refresh. previous:%d, current:%d", serial, newState.Serial)
 	}
 
-	backupState, err := terraform.ReadState(f)
-	f.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
-	}
+	backupState := testStateRead(t, statePath+DefaultBackupExtension)
 
 	actual = backupState.RootModule().Resources["test_instance.foo"].Primary
 	expected = originalState.RootModule().Resources["test_instance.foo"].Primary