diff --git a/tests/TestCase/ORM/Association/BelongsToManyTest.php b/tests/TestCase/ORM/Association/BelongsToManyTest.php
index ad27ca83f5b..7f7007748f4 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/ORM/Association/BelongsToManyTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/ORM/Association/BelongsToManyTest.php
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@
  */
 class BelongsToManyTest extends TestCase
 {
+    /**
+     * Fixtures
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
+    public $fixtures = ['core.articles', 'core.special_tags', 'core.articles_tags', 'core.tags'];
 
     /**
      * Set up
@@ -65,29 +71,6 @@ public function setUp()
                 'primary' => ['type' => 'primary', 'columns' => ['id']]
             ]
         ]);
-        TableRegistry::set('Articles', $this->article);
-        TableRegistry::get('ArticlesTags', [
-            'table' => 'articles_tags',
-            'schema' => [
-                'article_id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
-                'tag_id' => ['type' => 'integer'],
-                '_constraints' => [
-                    'primary' => ['type' => 'primary', 'columns' => ['article_id', 'tag_id']]
-                ]
-            ]
-        ]);
-        $this->tagsTypeMap = new TypeMap([
-            'Tags.id' => 'integer',
-            'id' => 'integer',
-            'Tags.name' => 'string',
-            'name' => 'string',
-        ]);
-        $this->articlesTagsTypeMap = new TypeMap([
-            'ArticlesTags.article_id' => 'integer',
-            'article_id' => 'integer',
-            'ArticlesTags.tag_id' => 'integer',
-            'tag_id' => 'integer',
-        ]);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -339,7 +322,7 @@ public function testCascadeDeleteDependent()
      */
     public function testCascadeDeleteWithCallbacks()
     {
-        $articleTag = $this->getMock('Cake\ORM\Table', ['find', 'delete'], []);
+        $articleTag = TableRegistry::get('ArticlesTags');
         $config = [
             'sourceTable' => $this->article,
             'targetTable' => $this->tag,
@@ -347,47 +330,17 @@ public function testCascadeDeleteWithCallbacks()
         ];
         $association = new BelongsToMany('Tag', $config);
         $association->junction($articleTag);
-        $this->article
-            ->association($articleTag->alias())
-            ->conditions(['click_count' => 3]);
-
-        $articleTagOne = new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2]);
-        $articleTagTwo = new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 4]);
-        $iterator = new \ArrayIterator([
-            $articleTagOne,
-            $articleTagTwo
-        ]);
-
-        $query = $this->getMock('\Cake\ORM\Query', [], [], '', false);
-        $query->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['click_count' => 3])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['article_id' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-
-        $query->expects($this->any())
-            ->method('getIterator')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($iterator));
-
-        $articleTag->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('find')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query));
-
-        $articleTag->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($articleTagOne, []);
-        $articleTag->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($articleTagTwo, []);
+        $this->article->association($articleTag->alias());
 
-        $articleTag->expects($this->never())
-            ->method('deleteAll');
+        $counter = $this->getMock('StdClass', ['__invoke']);
+        $counter->expects($this->exactly(2))->method('__invoke');
+        $articleTag->eventManager()->on('Model.beforeDelete', $counter);
 
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $articleTag->find()->where(['article_id' => 1])->count());
         $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'name' => 'PHP']);
         $association->cascadeDelete($entity);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(0, $articleTag->find()->where(['article_id' => 1])->count());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -527,87 +480,26 @@ public function testUnlinkWithNotPersistedTarget()
      */
     public function testUnlinkSuccess()
     {
-        $connection = ConnectionManager::get('test');
-        $joint = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Table',
-            ['delete', 'find'],
-            [['alias' => 'ArticlesTags', 'connection' => $connection]]
-        );
-        $config = [
-            'sourceTable' => $this->article,
-            'targetTable' => $this->tag,
-            'through' => $joint,
-            'joinTable' => 'tags_articles'
-        ];
-        $assoc = $this->article->belongsToMany('Test', $config);
-        $assoc->junction();
-        $this->article->association('ArticlesTags')
-            ->conditions(['foo' => 1]);
-
-        $query1 = $this->getMock('\Cake\ORM\Query', [], [$connection, $joint]);
-        $query2 = $this->getMock('\Cake\ORM\Query', [], [$connection, $joint]);
-
-        $joint->expects($this->at(0))->method('find')
-            ->with('all')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query1));
-
-        $joint->expects($this->at(1))->method('find')
-            ->with('all')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query2));
-
-        $query1->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['foo' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['article_id' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('andWhere')
-            ->with(['tag_id' => 2])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('union')
-            ->with($query2)
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-
-        $query2->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['foo' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query2->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['article_id' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query2->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('andWhere')
-            ->with(['tag_id' => 3])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-
-        $jointEntities = [
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 3])
-        ];
-
-        $query1->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('toArray')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($jointEntities));
-
-        $opts = ['markNew' => false];
-        $tags = [new Entity(['id' => 2], $opts), new Entity(['id' => 3], $opts)];
-        $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'test' => $tags], $opts);
+        $joint = TableRegistry::get('SpecialTags');
+        $articles = TableRegistry::get('Articles');
+        $tags = TableRegistry::get('Tags');
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($jointEntities[0]);
+        $assoc = $articles->belongsToMany('Tags', [
+            'sourceTable' => $articles,
+            'targetTable' => $tags,
+            'through' => $joint,
+            'joinTable' => 'special_tags',
+        ]);
+        $entity = $articles->get(2, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $initial = $entity->tags;
+        $this->assertCount(1, $initial);
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(3))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($jointEntities[1]);
+        $assoc->unlink($entity, $entity->tags);
+        $this->assertEmpty($entity->get('tags'), 'Property should be empty');
 
-        $assoc->unlink($entity, $tags);
-        $this->assertEmpty($entity->get('test'));
+        $new = $articles->get(2, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertCount(0, $new->tags, 'DB should be clean');
+        $this->assertSame(3, $tags->find()->count(), 'Tags should still exist');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -618,46 +510,27 @@ public function testUnlinkSuccess()
      */
     public function testUnlinkWithoutPropertyClean()
     {
-        $connection = ConnectionManager::get('test');
-        $joint = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Table',
-            ['delete', 'find'],
-            [['alias' => 'ArticlesTags', 'connection' => $connection]]
-        );
-        $config = [
-            'sourceTable' => $this->article,
-            'targetTable' => $this->tag,
-            'through' => $joint,
-            'joinTable' => 'tags_articles'
-        ];
-        $assoc = new BelongsToMany('Test', $config);
-        $assoc
-            ->junction()
-            ->association('tags')
-            ->conditions(['foo' => 1]);
+        $joint = TableRegistry::get('SpecialTags');
+        $articles = TableRegistry::get('Articles');
+        $tags = TableRegistry::get('Tags');
 
-        $joint->expects($this->never())->method('find');
-        $opts = ['markNew' => false];
-        $jointEntities = [
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 3])
-        ];
-        $tags = [
-            new Entity(['id' => 2, '_joinData' => $jointEntities[0]], $opts),
-            new Entity(['id' => 3, '_joinData' => $jointEntities[1]], $opts)
-        ];
-        $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'test' => $tags], $opts);
-
-        $joint->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($jointEntities[0]);
+        $assoc = $articles->belongsToMany('Tags', [
+            'sourceTable' => $articles,
+            'targetTable' => $tags,
+            'through' => $joint,
+            'joinTable' => 'special_tags',
+            'conditions' => ['SpecialTags.highlighted' => true]
+        ]);
+        $entity = $articles->get(2, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $initial = $entity->tags;
+        $this->assertCount(1, $initial);
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($jointEntities[1]);
+        $assoc->unlink($entity, $initial, ['cleanProperty' => false]);
+        $this->assertNotEmpty($entity->get('tags'), 'Property should not be empty');
+        $this->assertEquals($initial, $entity->get('tags'), 'Property should be untouched');
 
-        $assoc->unlink($entity, $tags, ['cleanProperty' => false]);
-        $this->assertEquals($tags, $entity->get('test'));
+        $new = $articles->get(2, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertCount(0, $new->tags, 'DB should be clean');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -688,74 +561,26 @@ public function testReplaceWithMissingPrimaryKey()
      */
     public function testReplaceLinksUpdateToEmptySet()
     {
-        $connection = ConnectionManager::get('test');
-        $joint = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Table',
-            ['delete', 'find'],
-            [['alias' => 'ArticlesTags', 'connection' => $connection]]
-        );
-        $config = [
-            'sourceTable' => $this->article,
-            'targetTable' => $this->tag,
-            'through' => $joint,
-            'joinTable' => 'tags_articles'
-        ];
-        $assoc = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Association\BelongsToMany',
-            ['_collectJointEntities', '_saveTarget'],
-            ['tags', $config]
-        );
-        $assoc->junction();
-
-        $this->article
-            ->association('ArticlesTags')
-            ->conditions(['foo' => 1]);
-
-        $query1 = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Query',
-            ['where', 'andWhere', 'addDefaultTypes'],
-            [$connection, $joint]
-        );
+        $joint = TableRegistry::get('ArticlesTags');
+        $articles = TableRegistry::get('Articles');
+        $tags = TableRegistry::get('Tags');
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(0))->method('find')
-            ->with('all')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query1));
-
-        $query1->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['foo' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['article_id' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-
-        $existing = [
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 4]),
-        ];
-        $query1->setResult(new \ArrayIterator($existing));
-
-        $tags = [];
-        $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'test' => $tags]);
-
-        $assoc->expects($this->once())->method('_collectJointEntities')
-            ->with($entity, $tags)
-            ->will($this->returnValue([]));
+        $assoc = $articles->belongsToMany('Tags', [
+            'sourceTable' => $articles,
+            'targetTable' => $tags,
+            'through' => $joint,
+            'joinTable' => 'articles_tags',
+        ]);
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($existing[0]);
-        $joint->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($existing[1]);
+        $entity = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertCount(2, $entity->tags);
 
-        $assoc->expects($this->never())
-            ->method('_saveTarget');
+        $assoc->replaceLinks($entity, []);
+        $this->assertSame([], $entity->tags, 'Property should be empty');
+        $this->assertFalse($entity->dirty('tags'), 'Property should be cleaned');
 
-        $assoc->replaceLinks($entity, $tags);
-        $this->assertSame([], $entity->tags);
-        $this->assertFalse($entity->dirty('tags'));
+        $new = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertSame([], $entity->tags, 'Should not be data in db');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -767,153 +592,68 @@ public function testReplaceLinksUpdateToEmptySet()
      */
     public function testReplaceLinkSuccess()
     {
-        $connection = ConnectionManager::get('test');
-        $joint = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Table',
-            ['delete', 'find'],
-            [['alias' => 'ArticlesTags', 'connection' => $connection]]
-        );
-        $config = [
-            'sourceTable' => $this->article,
-            'targetTable' => $this->tag,
-            'through' => $joint,
-            'joinTable' => 'tags_articles'
-        ];
-        $assoc = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Association\BelongsToMany',
-            ['_collectJointEntities', '_saveTarget'],
-            ['tags', $config]
-        );
-        $assoc->junction();
-
-        $this->article
-            ->association('ArticlesTags')
-            ->conditions(['foo' => 1]);
-
-        $query1 = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Query',
-            ['where', 'andWhere', 'addDefaultTypes'],
-            [$connection, $joint]
-        );
-
-        $joint->expects($this->at(0))->method('find')
-            ->with('all')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query1));
-
-        $query1->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['foo' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->with(['article_id' => 1])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-
-        $existing = [
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 4]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 5]),
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 6])
-        ];
-        $query1->setResult(new \ArrayIterator($existing));
+        $joint = TableRegistry::get('ArticlesTags');
+        $articles = TableRegistry::get('Articles');
+        $tags = TableRegistry::get('Tags');
 
-        $opts = ['markNew' => false];
-        $tags = [
-            new Entity(['id' => 2], $opts),
-            new Entity(['id' => 3], $opts),
-            new Entity(['id' => 6])
-        ];
-        $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'test' => $tags], $opts);
+        $assoc = $articles->belongsToMany('Tags', [
+            'sourceTable' => $articles,
+            'targetTable' => $tags,
+            'through' => $joint,
+            'joinTable' => 'articles_tags',
+        ]);
+        $entity = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
 
-        $jointEntities = [
-            new Entity(['article_id' => 1, 'tag_id' => 2])
+        // 1=existing, 2=removed, 3=new link, & new tag
+        $tagData = [
+            new Entity(['id' => 1], ['markNew' => false]),
+            new Entity(['id' => 3]),
+            new Entity(['name' => 'net new']),
         ];
-        $assoc->expects($this->once())->method('_collectJointEntities')
-            ->with($entity, $tags)
-            ->will($this->returnValue($jointEntities));
 
-        $joint->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($existing[1]);
-        $joint->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('delete')
-            ->with($existing[2]);
+        $assoc->replaceLinks($entity, $tagData, ['associated' => false]);
+        $this->assertSame($tagData, $entity->tags, 'Tags should match replaced objects');
+        $this->assertFalse($entity->dirty('tags'), 'Should be clean');
 
-        $options = ['foo' => 'bar'];
-        $assoc->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('_saveTarget')
-            ->with($entity, [1 => $tags[1], 2 => $tags[2]], $options + ['associated' => false])
-            ->will($this->returnCallback(function ($entity, $inserts) use ($tags) {
-                $this->assertSame([1 => $tags[1], 2 => $tags[2]], $inserts);
-                $entity->tags = $inserts;
-                return true;
-            }));
+        $fresh = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertCount(3, $fresh->tags, 'Records should be in db');
 
-        $assoc->replaceLinks($entity, $tags, $options + ['associated' => false]);
-        $this->assertSame($tags, $entity->tags);
-        $this->assertFalse($entity->dirty('tags'));
+        $this->assertNotEmpty($tags->get(2), 'Unlinked tag should still exist');
     }
 
     /**
      * Tests that replaceLinks() will contain() the target table when
      * there are conditions present on the association.
      *
+     * In this case the replacement will fail because the association conditions
+     * hide the fixture data.
+     *
      * @return void
      */
     public function testReplaceLinkWithConditions()
     {
-        $connection = ConnectionManager::get('test');
-        $joint = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Table',
-            ['find'],
-            [['alias' => 'ArticlesTags', 'connection' => $connection]]
-        );
-        $config = [
-            'sourceTable' => $this->article,
-            'targetTable' => $this->tag,
-            'through' => $joint,
-            'joinTable' => 'tags_articles',
-            'conditions' => ['Tags.id' => 'blah'],
-        ];
-        $assoc = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Association\BelongsToMany',
-            ['_collectJointEntities'],
-            ['tags', $config]
-        );
-        $assoc->junction();
+        $joint = TableRegistry::get('SpecialTags');
+        $articles = TableRegistry::get('Articles');
+        $tags = TableRegistry::get('Tags');
 
-        $query1 = $this->getMock(
-            '\Cake\ORM\Query',
-            ['where', 'andWhere', 'addDefaultTypes', 'contain'],
-            [$connection, $joint]
-        );
-        $query1->expects($this->at(0))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(1))
-            ->method('where')
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(2))
-            ->method('contain')
-            ->with('Tags')
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->expects($this->at(3))
-            ->method('andWhere')
-            ->with($config['conditions'])
-            ->will($this->returnSelf());
-        $query1->setResult(new \ArrayIterator([]));
-
-        $joint->expects($this->at(0))->method('find')
-            ->with('all')
-            ->will($this->returnValue($query1));
-
-        $entity = new Entity(['id' => 1, 'test' => []]);
-
-        $assoc->expects($this->once())->method('_collectJointEntities')
-            ->with($entity, [])
-            ->will($this->returnValue([]));
+        $assoc = $articles->belongsToMany('Tags', [
+            'sourceTable' => $articles,
+            'targetTable' => $tags,
+            'through' => $joint,
+            'joinTable' => 'special_tags',
+            'conditions' => ['SpecialTags.highlighted' => true]
+        ]);
+        $entity = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
 
         $assoc->replaceLinks($entity, [], ['associated' => false]);
+        $this->assertSame([], $entity->tags, 'Tags should match replaced objects');
+        $this->assertFalse($entity->dirty('tags'), 'Should be clean');
+
+        $fresh = $articles->get(1, ['contain' => 'Tags']);
+        $this->assertCount(0, $fresh->tags, 'Association should be empty');
+
+        $jointCount = $joint->find()->where(['article_id' => 1])->count();
+        $this->assertSame(1, $jointCount, 'Non matching joint record should remain.');
     }
 
     /**