diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/config/pmd.xml b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/config/pmd.xml
index 00c8d18a..fa8049d2 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/config/pmd.xml
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/config/pmd.xml
@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@
     <properties>
       <property name="showClassesComplexity" value="false"/>
       <property name="reportLevel" value="11"/>
-    </properties>
+      <!-- very big logic in test -->
+      <property name="violationSuppressXPath" value="//MethodDeclaration[@Name='validateSonarProperties' and ../../..[@Image='ChecksTest']]"/>
+    </properties>gnature
   </rule>
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/codesize.xml/NPathComplexity">
     <properties>
+      <!-- very big logic in test -->
+      <property name="violationSuppressXPath" value="//MethodDeclaration[@Name='validateSonarProperties' and ../../..[@Image='ChecksTest']]"/>
     </properties>
   </rule>
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/codesize.xml/TooManyFields">
@@ -145,11 +149,28 @@
 
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/finalizers.xml"/>
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/imports.xml"/>
+  <rule ref="rulesets/java/imports.xml/TooManyStaticImports">
+    <properties>
+      <property name="maximumStaticImports" value="10" />
+    </properties>
+  </rule>
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/javabeans.xml">
     <!-- too many false-positives -->
     <exclude name="BeanMembersShouldSerialize"/>
   </rule>
-  <rule ref="rulesets/java/junit.xml"/>
+
+  <rule ref="rulesets/java/junit.xml">
+    <!-- verify from another library is used -->
+    <exclude name="JUnitTestsShouldIncludeAssert" />
+    <!-- too much false positives -->
+    <exclude name="JUnitAssertionsShouldIncludeMessage"/>
+  </rule>
+  <rule ref="rulesets/java/junit.xml/JUnitTestContainsTooManyAsserts">
+    <properties>
+      <property name="maximumAsserts" value="15" />
+    </properties>
+  </rule>
+
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/logging-jakarta-commons.xml">
     <!-- slf4j does not need guards -->
     <exclude name="GuardLogStatement"/>
@@ -204,18 +225,16 @@
       <property name="violationSuppressXPath" value="//ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[@Image='CheckstyleAuditListener' or @Image='CheckstyleExecutor']"/>
     </properties>
   </rule>
-  <rule ref="rulesets/java/strictexception.xml/AvoidThrowingRawExceptionTypes">
+  <rule ref="rulesets/java/strictexception.xml/SignatureDeclareThrowsException">
     <properties>
+      <!-- not sure if this is good or bad -->
+      <property name="violationSuppressXPath" value="//MethodDeclaration[@Name='verifyTestConfigurationFiles' and ../../..[@Image='ChecksTest']]"/>
     </properties>
   </rule>
 
-  <rule ref="rulesets/java/strings.xml"/>
-  <rule ref="rulesets/java/strings.xml/AvoidDuplicateLiterals">
-    <properties>
-      <!-- Annotations like '@SuppressWarnings' don't need to be checked, it is better to keep their strings
-           connected to the annotation instead of separating. -->
-      <property name="skipAnnotations" value="true"/>
-    </properties>
+  <rule ref="rulesets/java/strings.xml">
+    <!-- too much false positived in tests -->
+    <exclude name="AvoidDuplicateLiterals" />
   </rule>
   <rule ref="rulesets/java/sunsecure.xml/MethodReturnsInternalArray">
     <properties>
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/pom.xml b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/pom.xml
index a518b398..3345df73 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
           <skipEmptyReport>false</skipEmptyReport>
           <failOnViolation>true</failOnViolation>
           <printFailingErrors>true</printFailingErrors>
-          <!--<includeTests>true</includeTests>-->
+          <includeTests>true</includeTests>
           <rulesets>
             <ruleset>config/pmd.xml</ruleset>
           </rulesets>
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleAuditListenerTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleAuditListenerTest.java
index 909184d2..e018926a 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleAuditListenerTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleAuditListenerTest.java
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public void testUtilityMethods() {
 
 
   @Test
-  public void add_error_test() throws Exception {
+  public void addErrorTest() {
     Rule rule = setupRule("repo", "key");
 
     Issuable issuable = setupIssuable();
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ public void add_error_test() throws Exception {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void add_error_on_unknown_rule() throws Exception {
+  public void addErrorOnUnknownRule() {
     Issuable issuable = setupIssuable();
     addErrorToListener();
     verifyZeroInteractions(issuable);
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void add_error_on_unknown_file() throws Exception {
+  public void addErrorOnUnknownFile() {
     Rule rule = setupRule("repo", "key");
     addErrorToListener();
     verifyZeroInteractions(rule);
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConfigurationTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConfigurationTest.java
index 333513b1..67c91272 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConfigurationTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConfigurationTest.java
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public void exportProfile(RulesProfile profile, Writer writer) {
       try {
         writer.write("<conf/>");
       } catch (IOException e) {
-        throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        throw new IllegalStateException(e);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConstantsTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConstantsTest.java
index c68fd9d0..50ba685e 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConstantsTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleConstantsTest.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 public class CheckstyleConstantsTest {
 
   @Test
-  public void private_constructor() throws Exception {
+  public void privateConstructor() throws ReflectiveOperationException {
     Constructor<CheckstyleConstants> constructor = CheckstyleConstants.class.getDeclaredConstructor();
     assertThat(constructor.isAccessible()).isFalse();
     constructor.setAccessible(true);
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleExecutorTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleExecutorTest.java
index e2abda6f..415f965f 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleExecutorTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleExecutorTest.java
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@
 import org.sonar.plugins.java.api.JavaResourceLocator;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.nio.charset.Charset;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Locale;
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ public class CheckstyleExecutorTest {
   public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
 
   @Test
-  public void execute() throws Exception {
+  public void execute() throws CheckstyleException {
     CheckstyleConfiguration conf = mockConf();
     CheckstyleAuditListener listener = mockListener();
     CheckstyleExecutor executor = new CheckstyleExecutor(conf, listener, createJavaResourceLocator());
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ public void execute() throws Exception {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void execute_exception() throws Exception {
+  public void executeException() throws CheckstyleException {
     thrown.expect(IllegalStateException.class);
     thrown.expectMessage("Can not execute Checkstyle");
     CheckstyleConfiguration conf = mockConf();
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ public void execute_exception() throws Exception {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void getURL_exception() throws Exception {
+  public void getURLException() throws URISyntaxException {
     thrown.expect(IllegalStateException.class);
     thrown.expectMessage("Fail to create the project classloader. Classpath element is invalid: htp://aa");
     CheckstyleExecutor executor = new CheckstyleExecutor(null, null, createJavaResourceLocator());
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ private static JavaResourceLocator createJavaResourceLocator() {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void canGenerateXMLReport_in_english() throws Exception {
+  public void canGenerateXMLReportInEnglish() throws CheckstyleException, IOException {
     Locale initialLocale = Locale.getDefault();
     Locale.setDefault(Locale.FRENCH);
 
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleProfileImporterTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleProfileImporterTest.java
index 56cf70f2..26ebd8f1 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleProfileImporterTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleProfileImporterTest.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public void importParameters() {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void properties_should_be_inherited() {
+  public void propertiesShouldBeInherited() {
     Reader reader = new StringReader(CheckstyleTestUtils.getResourceContent("/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleProfileImporterTest/inheritance_of_properties.xml"));
     RulesProfile profile = importer.importProfile(reader, messages);
 
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleRulesDefinitionTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleRulesDefinitionTest.java
index e7cff0c1..ac3b6033 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleRulesDefinitionTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleRulesDefinitionTest.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 public class CheckstyleRulesDefinitionTest {
 
-  List<String> NO_SQALE = ImmutableList.of(
+  private final List<String> NO_SQALE = ImmutableList.of(
     "com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.checks.TranslationCheck",
     "com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.checks.TodoCommentCheck",
     "com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.checks.regexp.RegexpSinglelineCheck",
@@ -72,20 +72,20 @@ public void test() {
           .isNotNull();
       }
 
-      if (!NO_SQALE.contains(rule.key())) {
+      if (NO_SQALE.contains(rule.key())) {
         assertThat(rule.debtRemediationFunction())
-          .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale remediation function is not set for rule '" + rule.key())
-          .isNotNull();
+                .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale remediation function is set for rule '" + rule.key())
+                .isNull();
         assertThat(rule.debtSubCharacteristic())
-          .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale characteristic is not set for rule '" + rule.key())
-          .isNotNull();
+                .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale characteristic is set for rule '" + rule.key())
+                .isNull();
       } else {
         assertThat(rule.debtRemediationFunction())
-          .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale remediation function is set for rule '" + rule.key())
-          .isNull();
+                .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale remediation function is not set for rule '" + rule.key())
+                .isNotNull();
         assertThat(rule.debtSubCharacteristic())
-          .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale characteristic is set for rule '" + rule.key())
-          .isNull();
+                .overridingErrorMessage("Sqale characteristic is not set for rule '" + rule.key())
+                .isNotNull();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSensorTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSensorTest.java
index e2810da0..3a03cfef 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSensorTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSensorTest.java
@@ -43,19 +43,19 @@ public class CheckstyleSensorTest {
   private Project project = new Project("projectKey");
 
   @Test
-  public void shouldExecuteOnProject_without_java_file_and_with_rule() throws Exception {
+  public void shouldExecuteOnProjectWithoutJavaFileAndWithRule() {
     addOneActiveRule();
     assertThat(sensor.shouldExecuteOnProject(project)).isFalse();
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void shouldExecuteOnProject_with_java_file_and_without_rule() throws Exception {
+  public void shouldExecuteOnProjectWithJavaFileAndWithoutRule() {
     addOneJavaFile();
     assertThat(sensor.shouldExecuteOnProject(project)).isFalse();
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void shouldExecuteOnProject_with_java_files_and_rules() throws Exception {
+  public void shouldExecuteOnProjectWithJavaFilesAndRules() {
     addOneJavaFile();
     addOneActiveRule();
     assertThat(sensor.shouldExecuteOnProject(project)).isTrue();
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSeverityUtilsTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSeverityUtilsTest.java
index 77e5ae96..d2e81f81 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSeverityUtilsTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleSeverityUtilsTest.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public void testFromSeverity() {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void private_constructor() throws Exception {
+  public void privateConstructor() throws ReflectiveOperationException {
     Constructor<CheckstyleSeverityUtils> constructor = CheckstyleSeverityUtils.class.getDeclaredConstructor();
     assertThat(constructor.isAccessible()).isFalse();
     constructor.setAccessible(true);
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleTestUtils.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleTestUtils.java
index 8291c15a..e9e65504 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleTestUtils.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/CheckstyleTestUtils.java
@@ -30,7 +30,11 @@
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
-public class CheckstyleTestUtils {
+public final class CheckstyleTestUtils {
+
+  private CheckstyleTestUtils() {
+    // no code
+  }
 
   public static String getResourceContent(String path) {
     try {
diff --git a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/internal/ChecksTest.java b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/internal/ChecksTest.java
index d1feb922..f37032be 100644
--- a/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/internal/ChecksTest.java
+++ b/checkstyle-sonar-plugin/src/test/java/org/sonar/plugins/checkstyle/internal/ChecksTest.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import java.beans.PropertyDescriptor;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
+import javax.xml.parsers.ParserConfigurationException;
+
 import org.apache.commons.beanutils.PropertyUtils;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -78,7 +81,7 @@ public void verifyTestConfigurationFiles() throws Exception {
         validateSonarProperties(new HashSet<>(modules));
     }
 
-    private static void validateSonarRules(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws Exception {
+    private static void validateSonarRules(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws ParserConfigurationException, IOException {
         final File rulesFile = new File(RULES_PATH);
 
         Assert.assertTrue("'rules.xml' must exist", rulesFile.exists());
@@ -91,7 +94,7 @@ private static void validateSonarRules(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws Exception {
     }
 
     private static void validateSonarRules(Document document, Set<Class<?>> modules)
-            throws Exception {
+            {
         final NodeList rules = document.getElementsByTagName("rule");
 
         for (int position = 0; position < rules.getLength(); position++) {
@@ -104,8 +107,9 @@ private static void validateSonarRules(Document document, Set<Class<?>> modules)
 
             Assert.assertNotNull("Unknown class found in sonar rules: " + key, module);
 
-            if (CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module))
+            if (CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module)) {
                 Assert.fail("Module should not be in sonar rules: " + module.getCanonicalName());
+            }
 
             modules.remove(module);
 
@@ -136,13 +140,14 @@ private static void validateSonarRules(Document document, Set<Class<?>> modules)
         }
 
         for (Class<?> module : modules) {
-            if (!CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module) && module != TreeWalker.class)
+            if (!CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module) && module != TreeWalker.class) {
                 Assert.fail("Module not found in sonar rules: " + module.getCanonicalName());
+            }
         }
     }
 
     private static void validateSonarRuleProperties(Class<?> module, Set<Node> parameters)
-            throws Exception {
+            {
         final String moduleName = module.getName();
         final Set<String> properties = getFinalProperties(module);
 
@@ -168,7 +173,7 @@ private static void validateSonarRuleProperties(Class<?> module, Set<Node> param
         }
     }
 
-    private static void validateSonarProperties(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws Exception {
+    private static void validateSonarProperties(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws IOException {
         final File propertiesFile = new File(MODULE_PROPERTIES_PATH);
 
         Assert.assertTrue("'checkstyle.properties' must exist", propertiesFile.exists());
@@ -180,7 +185,7 @@ private static void validateSonarProperties(Set<Class<?>> modules) throws Except
     }
 
     private static void validateSonarProperties(Properties properties, Set<Class<?>> modules)
-            throws Exception {
+            {
         Class<?> lastModule = null;
         Set<String> moduleProperties = null;
 
@@ -212,13 +217,15 @@ private static void validateSonarProperties(Properties properties, Set<Class<?>>
 
             Assert.assertNotNull("Unknown class found in sonar properties: " + moduleName, module);
 
-            if (CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module))
+            if (CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module)) {
                 Assert.fail("Module should not be in sonar properties: "
                         + module.getCanonicalName());
+            }
 
             if (lastModule != module) {
-                if (lastModule != null)
+                if (lastModule != null) {
                     modules.remove(lastModule);
+                }
                 if (moduleProperties != null) {
                     for (String property : moduleProperties) {
                         Assert.fail(lastModule.getCanonicalName()
@@ -230,8 +237,9 @@ private static void validateSonarProperties(Properties properties, Set<Class<?>>
             }
             lastModule = module;
 
-            if (!keyName.endsWith(".name"))
+            if (!keyName.endsWith(".name")) {
                 validateSonarPropertyProperties(module, moduleProperties, keyName);
+            }
         }
 
         if (lastModule != null) {
@@ -239,8 +247,9 @@ private static void validateSonarProperties(Properties properties, Set<Class<?>>
         }
 
         for (Class<?> module : modules) {
-            if (!CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module) && module != TreeWalker.class)
+            if (!CheckUtil.isFilterModule(module) && module != TreeWalker.class) {
                 Assert.fail("Module not found in sonar properties: " + module.getCanonicalName());
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -266,7 +275,7 @@ private static Class<?> findModule(Set<Class<?>> modules, String classPath) {
         return result;
     }
 
-    private static Set<String> getFinalProperties(Class<?> clss) throws Exception {
+    private static Set<String> getFinalProperties(Class<?> clss) {
         final Set<String> properties = getProperties(clss);
 
         if (AbstractJavadocCheck.class.isAssignableFrom(clss)) {
@@ -288,7 +297,12 @@ else if (AbstractFileSetCheck.class.isAssignableFrom(clss)) {
             .forEach(properties::remove);
 
         if (AbstractCheck.class.isAssignableFrom(clss)) {
-            final AbstractCheck check = (AbstractCheck) clss.newInstance();
+            final AbstractCheck check;
+            try {
+                check = (AbstractCheck) clss.newInstance();
+            } catch (InstantiationException | IllegalAccessException e) {
+                throw new IllegalStateException(e);
+            }
 
             final int[] acceptableTokens = check.getAcceptableTokens();
             Arrays.sort(acceptableTokens);