diff --git a/tests/test_checkcert.py b/tests/test_checkcert.py
index e962a18..4279d7e 100644
--- a/tests/test_checkcert.py
+++ b/tests/test_checkcert.py
@@ -1,36 +1,54 @@
+""" Tests to validate checkcert"""
+from click.testing import CliRunner
 from checkcert.checkcert import main as cert_main
 from checkcert.checkcert import __version__ as cert_version
-from click.testing import CliRunner
 
 runner = CliRunner()
 
 
 def test_main():
-    if cert_main:
-        response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu"])
-        assert response.exit_code == 0
-        response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu:443"])
-        assert response.exit_code == 0
-        response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu", "--no-color"])
-        assert response.exit_code == 0
+    """validate the core function returns correctly for:
+    a domain
+    a domain and a port
+    no names specified
+    a list of domains
+    a list of domains with a port specified on one
+    """
+    response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu"])
+    assert response.exit_code == 0
+    response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu:443"])
+    assert response.exit_code == 0
+    response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu", "--no-color"])
+    assert response.exit_code == 0
+    response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu", "library.franklin.edu"])
+    assert response.exit_code == 0
+    response = runner.invoke(
+        cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu:443", "library.franklin.edu"]
+    )
+    assert response.exit_code == 0
 
 
 def test_version():
+    """get the version output and ensure it matches the version var"""
     response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["--version"])
     assert response.exit_code == 0
     assert cert_version in response.output
 
 
 def test_dump():
+    """verify that --dump outputs data"""
     response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu", "--dump"])
     assert response.exit_code == 0
+    assert "www.franklin.edu" in response.output
 
 
 def test_san():
+    """verify --san outputs correctly"""
     response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["www.franklin.edu", "--san"])
     assert response.exit_code == 0
 
 
 def test_bad_cert():
+    """verify an expired certificate works"""
     response = runner.invoke(cert_main, ["support.bluequill.com", "--san"])
     assert response.exit_code == 0