diff --git a/expose/click.py b/expose/click.py
index 09a080631c5193541a94c627747ff4c5b7aaa39f..3f4be66d7c2f37e7ce282edfd822d1a488165cf1 100644
--- a/expose/click.py
+++ b/expose/click.py
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import typing
 
 from importlib.metadata import EntryPoint
 
-import tomli
 import click
+import tomli
 
 from click.core import ParameterSource
 
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ def user_defaults_group(
             try:
                 del config[key]
                 config.write()
-            except KeyError as e:
+            except KeyError:
                 logger.error(
                     f"Cannot delete object named `{key}' at `{config.path}'",
                     exc_info=True,
diff --git a/expose/rc.py b/expose/rc.py
index 75da859bc427fce02155a51c589e4e20d69bbb32..ea72f06cfee199dcf71c30350fabf4964ba8f470 100644
--- a/expose/rc.py
+++ b/expose/rc.py
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@
 
 """Implements a global configuration system setup and readout."""
 
-import os
+import collections.abc
 import io
 import json
-import typing
 import logging
+import os
 import pathlib
-import collections.abc
+import typing
 
 import tomli
 import tomli_w
diff --git a/tests/test_rc.py b/tests/test_rc.py
index 45c114ec6c08fc682ec9e9aa8ec729d02a10e24e..1f51863d81a4492fbf209f30c6d3708ce036b334 100644
--- a/tests/test_rc.py
+++ b/tests/test_rc.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import os
-import shutil
 import filecmp
 import logging
+import os
+import shutil
 
 import pytest
+
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 
 from expose.click import user_defaults_group
@@ -17,10 +18,10 @@ def _check_userdefaults_ex1_contents(rc):
     assert rc["string"] == "this is a string"
     assert rc["integer"] == 42
     assert rc["float"] == 3.14
-    assert rc["boolean"] == True
+    assert rc["boolean"] is True
     assert rc["array"] == ["abc", 2, 2.78]
-    assert rc["bar"]["boolean"] == False
-    assert rc["bar.boolean"] == False
+    assert rc["bar"]["boolean"] is False
+    assert rc["bar.boolean"] is False
 
 
 def test_rc_basic_loading(datadir):
@@ -68,14 +69,14 @@ def test_rc_write(tmp_path):
 
     # checks contents before writing
     assert rc["section1"]["an_int"] == 15
-    assert rc["section1"]["a_bool"] == True
+    assert rc["section1"]["a_bool"] is True
     assert rc["section1"]["a_float"] == 3.1415
     assert rc["section1"]["baz"] == "fun"
     assert rc["section1"]["bar"] == "Python"
 
     # checks contents before writing - different way
     assert rc["section1.an_int"] == 15
-    assert rc["section1.a_bool"] == True
+    assert rc["section1.a_bool"] is True
     assert rc["section1.a_float"] == 3.1415
     assert rc["section1.baz"] == "fun"
     assert rc["section1.bar"] == "Python"
@@ -88,8 +89,8 @@ def test_rc_write(tmp_path):
     assert len(rc2) == 1
     assert rc["section1"]["an_int"] == 15
     assert rc["section1.an_int"] == 15
-    assert rc["section1"]["a_bool"] == True
-    assert rc["section1.a_bool"] == True
+    assert rc["section1"]["a_bool"] is True
+    assert rc["section1.a_bool"] is True
     assert rc["section1"]["a_float"] == 3.1415
     assert rc["section1.a_float"] == 3.1415
     assert rc["section1"]["baz"] == "fun"
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ def test_rc_delete(tmp_path):
     rc["section1.bar"] = "Python"
 
     assert rc["an_int"] == 15
-    assert rc["a_bool"] == True
+    assert rc["a_bool"] is True
     assert rc["a_float"] == 3.1415
     assert rc["section1.baz"] == "fun"
     assert rc["section1.bar"] == "Python"
@@ -272,24 +273,18 @@ def test_rc_click_writing(datadir, tmp_path):
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["rm", "new-section.date"])
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["get", "new-section.date"])
     assert result.exit_code != 0
-    assert (
-        "Error: Cannot find object named `new-section.date'" in result.output
-    )
+    assert "Error: Cannot find object named `new-section.date'" in result.output
 
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["rm", "new-section"])
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["get", "new-section"])
     assert result.exit_code != 0
-    assert (
-        "Error: Cannot find object named `new-section'" in result.output
-    )
+    assert "Error: Cannot find object named `new-section'" in result.output
 
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["rm", "bar"])
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["get", "bar"])
     assert result.exit_code != 0
-    assert (
-        "Error: Cannot find object named `bar'" in result.output
-    )
+    assert "Error: Cannot find object named `bar'" in result.output
 
 
 def test_rc_click_no_directory(datadir, tmp_path):
@@ -333,9 +328,7 @@ def test_rc_click_cannot_set(tmp_path):
 
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["set", "bar.boolean.error", "50"])
     assert result.exit_code != 0
-    assert (
-        "Error: Cannot set object named `bar.boolean.error'" in result.output
-    )
+    assert "Error: Cannot set object named `bar.boolean.error'" in result.output
 
 
 def test_rc_click_cannot_delete(tmp_path):
@@ -358,9 +351,7 @@ def test_rc_click_cannot_delete(tmp_path):
 
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["rm", "new-section"])
     assert result.exit_code != 0
-    assert (
-        "Error: Cannot delete object named `new-section'" in result.output
-    )
+    assert "Error: Cannot delete object named `new-section'" in result.output
 
     # the existing section should still work
     result = runner.invoke(cli, ["rm", "bar"])