diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/sufia/works_controller_behavior.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/sufia/works_controller_behavior.rb
index 1fb547a4d9..88b07bf473 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/sufia/works_controller_behavior.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/sufia/works_controller_behavior.rb
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ module WorksControllerBehavior
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
-      # We don't want the breadcrumb action to occur until after the concern has
-      # been loaded and authorized
+      # We don't want the actions to occur until after the concern has been loaded and authorized
+      # @note this is a terribly side-effecty kludge
       def curation_concern_type=(curation_concern_type)
         super
         before_action :build_breadcrumbs, only: [:edit, :show]
diff --git a/app/jobs/batch_create_job.rb b/app/jobs/batch_create_job.rb
index e01f7ee905..22c3de5ce6 100644
--- a/app/jobs/batch_create_job.rb
+++ b/app/jobs/batch_create_job.rb
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ def perform(user, titles, resource_types, uploaded_files, attributes, log)
   private
 
     def create(user, titles, resource_types, uploaded_files, attributes, log)
+      model = attributes.delete(:model) || attributes.delete('model')
+      raise ArgumentError, 'attributes must include "model" => ClassName.to_s' unless model
       uploaded_files.each do |upload_id|
-        model = attributes.delete(:model) || attributes.delete('model')
-        raise ArgumentError, 'attributes must include "model" => ClassName.to_s' unless model
         title = [titles[upload_id]] if titles[upload_id]
         resource_type = [resource_types[upload_id]] if resource_types[upload_id]
         attributes = attributes.merge(uploaded_files: [upload_id],
diff --git a/spec/features/edit_work_spec.rb b/spec/features/edit_work_spec.rb
index a48a5436e2..92ffc8e301 100644
--- a/spec/features/edit_work_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/edit_work_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
   context 'when the user changes permissions' do
     it 'confirms copying permissions to files using Sufia layout' do
+      # e.g. /concern/generic_works/jq085k20z/edit
       visit edit_curation_concerns_generic_work_path(work)
       choose('generic_work_visibility_open')
       check('agreement')
diff --git a/spec/jobs/batch_create_job_spec.rb b/spec/jobs/batch_create_job_spec.rb
index a85bf2cc2c..76c5bbd811 100644
--- a/spec/jobs/batch_create_job_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jobs/batch_create_job_spec.rb
@@ -5,25 +5,19 @@
   before do
     allow(CharacterizeJob).to receive(:perform_later)
     allow(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:run)
-    allow(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:set?)
-      .with(:after_batch_create_success)
-      .and_return(true)
-    allow(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:set?)
-      .with(:after_batch_create_failure)
-      .and_return(true)
+    allow(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:set?).with(:after_batch_create_success).and_return(true)
+    allow(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:set?).with(:after_batch_create_failure).and_return(true)
   end
 
   describe "#perform" do
-    let(:file1) { File.open(fixture_path + '/world.png') }
-    let(:file2) { File.open(fixture_path + '/image.jp2') }
-    let(:upload1) { Sufia::UploadedFile.create(user: user, file: file1) }
-    let(:upload2) { Sufia::UploadedFile.create(user: user, file: file2) }
+    let(:upload1) { Sufia::UploadedFile.create(user: user, file: File.open(fixture_path + '/world.png')) }
+    let(:upload2) { Sufia::UploadedFile.create(user: user, file: File.open(fixture_path + '/image.jp2')) }
     let(:title)          { { upload1.id.to_s => 'File One', upload2.id.to_s => 'File Two' } }
     let(:resource_types) { { upload1.id.to_s => 'Article',  upload2.id.to_s => 'Image'    } }
     let(:metadata)       { { keyword: [], model: 'GenericWork' } }
     let(:uploaded_files) { [upload1.id.to_s, upload2.id.to_s] }
-    let(:errors) { double(full_messages: "It's broke!") }
-    let(:work)   { double(errors: errors) }
+    # let(:errors) { double(full_messages: "It's broke!") }
+    let(:work)   { build(:generic_work) }
     let(:actor)  { double(curation_concern: work) }
 
     subject do
@@ -36,7 +30,7 @@
     end
 
     it "updates work metadata" do
-      expect(CurationConcerns::CurationConcern).to receive(:actor).and_return(actor).twice
+      expect(CurationConcerns::CurationConcern).to receive(:actor).with(an_instance_of(GenericWork), user).and_return(actor).twice
       expect(actor).to receive(:create).with(keyword: [], title: ['File One'], resource_type: ["Article"], uploaded_files: ['1']).and_return(true)
       expect(actor).to receive(:create).with(keyword: [], title: ['File Two'], resource_type: ["Image"], uploaded_files: ['2']).and_return(true)
       expect(CurationConcerns.config.callback).to receive(:run).with(:after_batch_create_success, user)
@@ -46,24 +40,19 @@
     end
 
     context "when permissions_attributes are passed" do
-      let(:metadata) do
-        { "permissions_attributes" => [{ "type" => "group", "name" => "public", "access" => "read" }] }
-      end
+      let(:permissions) { { 'permissions_attributes' => [{ 'type' => 'group', 'name' => 'public', 'access' => 'read' }] } }
+      let(:metadata) { super().merge(permissions) }
       it "sets the groups" do
         subject
-        work = GenericWork.last
-        expect(work.read_groups).to include "public"
+        expect(GenericWork.last.read_groups).to include "public"
       end
     end
 
     context "when visibility is passed" do
-      let(:metadata) do
-        { "visibility" => 'open' }
-      end
+      let(:metadata) { super().merge('visibility' => 'open') }
       it "sets public read access" do
         subject
-        work = GenericWork.last
-        expect(work.reload.read_groups).to eq ['public']
+        expect(GenericWork.last.reload.read_groups).to eq ['public']
       end
     end