diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
index 590c1c2927..951cbae765 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
@@ -754,66 +754,55 @@ class ReadingTest(BaseTest):
         db = self.init_cache(self.library_path)
         db.create_custom_column('mult', 'CC1', 'composite', True, display={'composite_template': 'b,a,c'})
 
+        # need an empty metadata object to pass to the formatter
         db = self.init_legacy(self.library_path)
+        mi = db.get_metadata(1)
 
-        class GetGuiAns():
-            current_db = None
-        get_gui_ans = GetGuiAns()
-        get_gui_ans.current_db = db
-        from calibre.gui2.ui import get_gui
-        get_gui.ans = get_gui_ans
+        # test counting books matching the search
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_count("series:true", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, '2')
 
-        try:
-            # need an empty metadata object to pass to the formatter
-            mi = Metadata('A', 'B')
+        # test counting books when none match the search
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_count("series:afafaf", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, '0')
 
-            # test counting books matching the search
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_count("series:true", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, '2')
+        # test is_multiple values
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "tags:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'Tag One', 'News', 'Tag Two'})
 
-            # test counting books when none match the search
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_count("series:afafaf", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, '0')
+        # test not is_multiple values
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("series", "series:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, 'A Series One')
 
-            # test is_multiple values
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "tags:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'Tag One', 'News', 'Tag Two'})
+        # test returning values for a column not searched for
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "series:\\"A Series One\\"", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'Tag One', 'News', 'Tag Two'})
 
-            # test not is_multiple values
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("series", "series:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, 'A Series One')
+        # test getting a singleton value from books where the column is empty
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("series", "series:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, '')
 
-            # test returning values for a column not searched for
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "series:\\"A Series One\\"", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'Tag One', 'News', 'Tag Two'})
+        # test getting a multiple value from books where the column is empty
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "tags:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, '')
 
-            # test getting a singleton value from books where the column is empty
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("series", "series:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, '')
+        # test fetching an unknown column
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("taaags", "tags:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(v, "TEMPLATE ERROR The column taaags doesn't exist")
 
-            # test getting a multiple value from books where the column is empty
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("tags", "tags:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, '')
+        # test finding all books
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("id", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'1', '2', '3'})
 
-            # test fetching an unknown column
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("taaags", "tags:false", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(v, "TEMPLATE ERROR The column taaags doesn't exist")
+        # test getting value of a composite
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("#mult", "id:1", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'b', 'c', 'a'})
 
-            # test finding all books
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("id", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'1', '2', '3'})
+        # test getting value of a custom float
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("#float", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'20.02', '10.01'})
 
-            # test getting value of a composite
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("#mult", "id:1", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'b', 'c', 'a'})
-
-            # test getting value of a custom float
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("#float", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'20.02', '10.01'})
-
-            # test getting value of an int (rating)
-            v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("rating", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
-            self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'4', '6'})
-        finally:
-            get_gui.ans = None
+        # test getting value of an int (rating)
+        v = formatter.safe_format('program: book_values("rating", "title:true", ",", 0)', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
+        self.assertEqual(set(v.split(',')), {'4', '6'})
     # }}}