diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 8052855..82bb443 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ install_requires =
     argparse
     argcomplete
     future
-    viivakoodi>=0.8
 setup_requires = setuptools_scm
 tests_require =
     jaconv
diff --git a/test/test_cli.py b/test/test_cli.py
index 1f41095..eba5b76 100644
--- a/test/test_cli.py
+++ b/test/test_cli.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 from scripttest import TestFileEnvironment
-from nose.tools import assert_equals, nottest
+from nose.tools import assert_equal, nottest
 import escpos
 
 TEST_DIR = os.path.abspath('test/test-cli-output')
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class TestCLI:
         """ Test the version string """
         result = self.env.run('python-escpos', 'version')
         assert not result.stderr
-        assert_equals(escpos.__version__, result.stdout.strip())
+        assert_equal(escpos.__version__, result.stdout.strip())
 
     @nottest  # disable this test as it is not that easy anymore to predict the outcome of this call
     def test_cli_text(self):
@@ -109,6 +109,6 @@ class TestCLI:
             expect_error=True,
             expect_stderr=True
         )
-        assert_equals(result.returncode, 2)
+        assert_equal(result.returncode, 2)
         assert 'error:' in result.stderr
         assert not result.files_updated
diff --git a/test/test_function_softbarcode.py b/test/test_function_softbarcode.py
index fc702d7..78ae5bc 100644
--- a/test/test_function_softbarcode.py
+++ b/test/test_function_softbarcode.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
 import escpos.printer as printer
+import barcode.errors
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -8,10 +9,15 @@ import pytest
 def instance():
     return printer.Dummy()
 
+def test_soft_barcode_ean8_invalid(instance):
+    """test with an invalid barcode"""
+    with pytest.raises(barcode.errors.BarcodeError):
+        instance.soft_barcode("ean8", "1234")
 
 def test_soft_barcode_ean8(instance):
-    instance.soft_barcode("ean8", "1234")
+    """test with a valid ean8 barcode"""
+    instance.soft_barcode("ean8", "1234567")
 
 
 def test_soft_barcode_ean8_nocenter(instance):
-    instance.soft_barcode("ean8", "1234", center=False)
+    instance.soft_barcode("ean8", "1234567", center=False)