diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 22c77f8..1e46da3 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ def arb_addr():
 
 
 def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
-    if 'spawn_method' in metafunc.fixturenames:
+    if 'start_method' in metafunc.fixturenames:
         from multiprocessing import get_all_start_methods
         methods = get_all_start_methods()
         methods.remove('fork')
-        metafunc.parametrize("spawn_method", methods, scope='module')
+        metafunc.parametrize("start_method", methods, scope='module')
diff --git a/tests/test_cancellation.py b/tests/test_cancellation.py
index b34c602..e45fbac 100644
--- a/tests/test_cancellation.py
+++ b/tests/test_cancellation.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ async def stream_forever():
 
 
 @tractor_test
-async def test_cancel_infinite_streamer(spawn_method):
+async def test_cancel_infinite_streamer(start_method):
 
     # stream for at most 1 seconds
     with trio.move_on_after(1) as cancel_scope:
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ async def test_cancel_infinite_streamer(spawn_method):
     ids=['one_actor', 'two_actors'],
 )
 @tractor_test
-async def test_some_cancels_all(num_actors_and_errs, spawn_method):
+async def test_some_cancels_all(num_actors_and_errs, start_method):
     """Verify a subset of failed subactors causes all others in
     the nursery to be cancelled just like the strategy in trio.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_spawning.py b/tests/test_spawning.py
index 0107115..7508a39 100644
--- a/tests/test_spawning.py
+++ b/tests/test_spawning.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def movie_theatre_question():
 
 
 @tractor_test
-async def test_movie_theatre_convo(spawn_method):
+async def test_movie_theatre_convo(start_method):
     """The main ``tractor`` routine.
     """
     async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def cellar_door():
 
 
 @tractor_test
-async def test_most_beautiful_word(spawn_method):
+async def test_most_beautiful_word(start_method):
     """The main ``tractor`` routine.
     """
     async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
diff --git a/tests/test_streaming.py b/tests/test_streaming.py
index d77d562..172bb7f 100644
--- a/tests/test_streaming.py
+++ b/tests/test_streaming.py
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ async def stream_from_single_subactor():
                 # await nursery.cancel()
 
 
-def test_stream_from_single_subactor(arb_addr, spawn_method):
+def test_stream_from_single_subactor(arb_addr, start_method):
     """Verify streaming from a spawned async generator.
     """
     tractor.run(
         stream_from_single_subactor,
         arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
-        spawn_method=spawn_method,
+        start_method=start_method,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py b/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py
index 341d446..7d8289e 100644
--- a/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py
+++ b/tractor/testing/_tractor_test.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def tractor_test(fn):
         *args,
         loglevel=None,
         arb_addr=None,
-        spawn_method='forkserver',
+        start_method='forkserver',
         **kwargs
     ):
         # __tracebackhide__ = True
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ def tractor_test(fn):
             # allows test suites to define a 'loglevel' fixture
             # that activates the internal logging
             kwargs['loglevel'] = loglevel
-        if 'spawn_method' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
+        if 'start_method' in inspect.signature(fn).parameters:
             # allows test suites to define a 'loglevel' fixture
             # that activates the internal logging
-            kwargs['spawn_method'] = spawn_method
+            kwargs['start_method'] = start_method
         return run(
             partial(fn, *args, **kwargs),
             arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
             loglevel=loglevel,
-            spawn_method=spawn_method,
+            start_method=start_method,
         )
 
     return wrapper