diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/testing/conftest.py b/lib/matplotlib/testing/conftest.py
index 9dc180c9600..fb306594780 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/testing/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/testing/conftest.py
@@ -24,19 +24,19 @@ def mpl_test_settings(request):
     original_settings = matplotlib.rcParams.copy()
 
     backend = None
-    backend_marker = request.keywords.get('backend')
+    backend_marker = request.node.get_closest_marker('backend')
     if backend_marker is not None:
         assert len(backend_marker.args) == 1, \
             "Marker 'backend' must specify 1 backend."
-        backend = backend_marker.args[0]
+        backend, = backend_marker.args
         prev_backend = matplotlib.get_backend()
 
     style = '_classic_test'  # Default of cleanup and image_comparison too.
-    style_marker = request.keywords.get('style')
+    style_marker = request.node.get_closest_marker('style')
     if style_marker is not None:
         assert len(style_marker.args) == 1, \
             "Marker 'style' must specify 1 style."
-        style = style_marker.args[0]
+        style, = style_marker.args
 
     matplotlib.testing.setup()
     if backend is not None:
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def mpl_image_comparison_parameters(request, extension):
     # pytest won't get confused.
     # We annotate the decorated function with any parameters captured by this
     # fixture so that they can be used by the wrapper in image_comparison.
-    baseline_images = request.keywords['baseline_images'].args[0]
+    baseline_images, = request.node.get_closest_marker('baseline_images').args
     if baseline_images is None:
         # Allow baseline image list to be produced on the fly based on current
         # parametrization.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
index 8bf6e7dde38..10d8033d4ca 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_ps.py
@@ -31,13 +31,16 @@
 @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=3)
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('format, use_log, rcParams', [
     ('ps', False, {}),
-    needs_ghostscript(('ps', False, {'ps.usedistiller': 'ghostscript'})),
-    needs_usetex(needs_ghostscript(('ps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True,
-                                                  'text.usetex': True}))),
+    pytest.param('ps', False, {'ps.usedistiller': 'ghostscript'},
+                 marks=needs_ghostscript),
+    pytest.param('ps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True,
+                               'text.usetex': True},
+                 marks=[needs_ghostscript, needs_usetex]),
     ('eps', False, {}),
     ('eps', True, {'ps.useafm': True}),
-    needs_usetex(needs_ghostscript(('eps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True,
-                                                   'text.usetex': True}))),
+    pytest.param('eps', False, {'text.latex.unicode': True,
+                                'text.usetex': True},
+                 marks=[needs_ghostscript, needs_usetex]),
 ], ids=[
     'ps',
     'ps with distiller',
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_svg.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_svg.py
index e0cbdfa8bce..1f6bf7cc3a6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_svg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_svg.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def _test_determinism_save(filename, usetex):
     "filename, usetex",
     # unique filenames to allow for parallel testing
     [("determinism_notex.svg", False),
-     needs_usetex(("determinism_tex.svg", True))])
+     pytest.param("determinism_tex.svg", True, marks=needs_usetex)])
 def test_determinism(filename, usetex):
     import sys
     from subprocess import check_output, STDOUT, CalledProcessError
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backends_interactive.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backends_interactive.py
index df7a5d08a10..8cd4585bffc 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backends_interactive.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backends_interactive.py
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ def _get_testable_interactive_backends():
             reason = "No $DISPLAY"
         elif any(importlib.util.find_spec(dep) is None for dep in deps):
             reason = "Missing dependency"
-        backends.append(pytest.mark.skip(reason=reason)(backend) if reason
-                        else backend)
+        if reason:
+            backend = pytest.param(
+                backend, marks=pytest.mark.skip(reason=reason))
+        backends.append(backend)
     return backends