diff --git a/cvp_checks/utils/__init__.py b/cvp_checks/utils/__init__.py
index 85f5a61..4475683 100644
--- a/cvp_checks/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/cvp_checks/utils/__init__.py
@@ -2,19 +2,25 @@
 import yaml
 import requests
 import re
-import pytest
+
 
 class salt_remote:
-    def cmd(self, tgt, fun, param=None,expr_form=None,tgt_type=None):
+    def cmd(self, tgt, fun, param=None, expr_form=None, tgt_type=None):
         config = get_configuration()
-        headers = {'Accept':'application/json'}
-        login_payload = {'username':config['SALT_USERNAME'],'password':config['SALT_PASSWORD'],'eauth':'pam'}
-        accept_key_payload = {'fun': fun,'tgt':tgt,'client':'local','expr_form':expr_form,'tgt_type':tgt_type}
+        headers = {'Accept': 'application/json'}
+        login_payload = {'username': config['SALT_USERNAME'],
+                         'password': config['SALT_PASSWORD'], 'eauth': 'pam'}
+        accept_key_payload = {'fun': fun, 'tgt': tgt, 'client': 'local',
+                              'expr_form': expr_form, 'tgt_type': tgt_type}
         if param:
-            accept_key_payload['arg']=param
+            accept_key_payload['arg'] = param
 
-        login_request = requests.post(os.path.join(config['SALT_URL'],'login'),headers=headers,data=login_payload)
-        request = requests.post(config['SALT_URL'],headers=headers,data=accept_key_payload,cookies=login_request.cookies)
+        login_request = requests.post(os.path.join(config['SALT_URL'],
+                                                   'login'),
+                                      headers=headers, data=login_payload)
+        request = requests.post(config['SALT_URL'], headers=headers,
+                                data=accept_key_payload,
+                                cookies=login_request.cookies)
         return request.json()['return'][0]
 
 
@@ -40,12 +46,12 @@
         if 'skipped_nodes' in config.get(testname).keys():
             skipped_nodes += config.get(testname)['skipped_nodes'] or []
 
-    if skipped_nodes:
+    if skipped_nodes != ['']:
         print "\nNotice: {0} nodes will be skipped".format(skipped_nodes)
         nodes = local_salt_client.cmd(
-        '* and not '+list_to_target_string(skipped_nodes, 'and not'),
-        'test.ping',
-        expr_form='compound')
+            '* and not ' + list_to_target_string(skipped_nodes, 'and not'),
+            'test.ping',
+            expr_form='compound')
     else:
         nodes = local_salt_client.cmd('*', 'test.ping')
     return nodes
@@ -76,8 +82,8 @@
             if group_name not in skipped_groups:
                 groups.append(group_name)
             else:
-                if group_name+" - skipped" not in groups:
-                    groups.append(group_name+" - skipped")
+                if group_name + " - skipped" not in groups:
+                    groups.append(group_name + " - skipped")
 
     return groups
 
@@ -92,10 +98,10 @@
     for param in global_config.keys():
         if param in os.environ.keys():
             if ',' in os.environ[param]:
-                global_config[param]=[]
+                global_config[param] = []
                 for item in os.environ[param].split(','):
                     global_config[param].append(item)
             else:
-                global_config[param]=os.environ[param]
+                global_config[param] = os.environ[param]
 
     return global_config