diff --git a/plugins/inputs/syslog/rfc5426_test.go b/plugins/inputs/syslog/rfc5426_test.go
index 5e65c1d39..f0720a7ac 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/syslog/rfc5426_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/syslog/rfc5426_test.go
@@ -235,10 +235,6 @@ func testRFC5426(t *testing.T, protocol string, address string, bestEffort bool)
 			require.NoError(t, receiver.Start(acc))
 			defer receiver.Stop()
 
-			// Clear
-			acc.ClearMetrics()
-			acc.Errors = make([]error, 0)
-
 			// Connect
 			conn, err := net.Dial(protocol, address)
 			require.NotNil(t, conn)
diff --git a/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go b/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
index 669d6601c..6f9c6b36b 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
+++ b/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
@@ -51,10 +51,11 @@ func TestExternalProcessorWorks(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	acc.Wait(1)
-	m := acc.GetTelegrafMetrics()[0]
-
 	require.NoError(t, e.Stop())
 
+	metrics = acc.GetTelegrafMetrics()
+	m := metrics[0]
+
 	expected := testutil.MustMetric("test",
 		map[string]string{
 			"city": "Toronto",
@@ -70,8 +71,6 @@ func TestExternalProcessorWorks(t *testing.T) {
 	metricTime := m.Time().UnixNano()
 
 	// read the other 9 and make sure they're ordered properly
-	acc.Wait(9)
-	metrics = acc.GetTelegrafMetrics()
 	for i := 0; i < 9; i++ {
 		m = metrics[i+1]
 		require.EqualValues(t, metricTime+1, m.Time().UnixNano())
diff --git a/testutil/accumulator.go b/testutil/accumulator.go
index 870eb9e04..b05fd464c 100644
--- a/testutil/accumulator.go
+++ b/testutil/accumulator.go
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ func (a *Accumulator) NMetrics() uint64 {
 }
 
 func (a *Accumulator) GetTelegrafMetrics() []telegraf.Metric {
-	a.Lock()
-	defer a.Unlock()
 	metrics := []telegraf.Metric{}
 	for _, m := range a.Metrics {
 		metrics = append(metrics, FromTestMetric(m))
@@ -253,8 +251,6 @@ func (a *Accumulator) SetDebug(debug bool) {
 
 // Get gets the specified measurement point from the accumulator
 func (a *Accumulator) Get(measurement string) (*Metric, bool) {
-	a.Lock()
-	defer a.Unlock()
 	for _, p := range a.Metrics {
 		if p.Measurement == measurement {
 			return p, true
@@ -265,8 +261,6 @@ func (a *Accumulator) Get(measurement string) (*Metric, bool) {
 }
 
 func (a *Accumulator) HasTag(measurement string, key string) bool {
-	a.Lock()
-	defer a.Unlock()
 	for _, p := range a.Metrics {
 		if p.Measurement == measurement {
 			_, ok := p.Tags[key]
@@ -277,8 +271,6 @@ func (a *Accumulator) HasTag(measurement string, key string) bool {
 }
 
 func (a *Accumulator) TagSetValue(measurement string, key string) string {
-	a.Lock()
-	defer a.Unlock()
 	for _, p := range a.Metrics {
 		if p.Measurement == measurement {
 			v, ok := p.Tags[key]
@@ -291,8 +283,6 @@ func (a *Accumulator) TagSetValue(measurement string, key string) string {
 }
 
 func (a *Accumulator) TagValue(measurement string, key string) string {
-	a.Lock()
-	defer a.Unlock()
 	for _, p := range a.Metrics {
 		if p.Measurement == measurement {
 			v, ok := p.Tags[key]