diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/task/echo_plugin/register.py b/tests/python/pants_test/task/echo_plugin/register.py
index 27adc2ffb6f..4e964b86295 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/task/echo_plugin/register.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/task/echo_plugin/register.py
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ class EchoTaskBase(HasSkipAndTransitiveGoalOptionsMixin, Task):
   prefix = None
 
   def execute(self):
-    with open(os.path.join(self.workdir, 'output'), 'w') as fp:
-      fp.write('\n'.join(t.address.spec for t in self.get_targets()))
+    relevant_targets = self.get_targets()
+    if relevant_targets:
+      with open(os.path.join(self.workdir, 'output'), 'w') as fp:
+        fp.write('\n'.join(t.address.spec for t in relevant_targets))
 
 
 class EchoOne(EchoTaskBase):
diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/task/test_goal_options_mixin_integration.py b/tests/python/pants_test/task/test_goal_options_mixin_integration.py
index afd53f643c1..0aadb06d7d2 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/task/test_goal_options_mixin_integration.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/task/test_goal_options_mixin_integration.py
@@ -43,21 +43,21 @@ def get_echo(which):
             return None
           else:
             with open(path, 'r') as fp:
-              return [os.path.basename(x.strip()) for x in fp.readlines()]
+              return {os.path.basename(x.strip()) for x in fp.readlines()}
         self.assertEqual(expected_one, get_echo('one'))
         self.assertEqual(expected_two, get_echo('two'))
 
   def test_defaults(self):
-    self._do_test_goal_options([], ['foo:a', 'foo:b'], ['foo:a', 'foo:b'])
+    self._do_test_goal_options([], {'foo:a', 'foo:b'}, {'foo:a', 'foo:b'})
 
   def test_set_at_goal_level(self):
     self._do_test_goal_options(['--skip'], None, None)
 
   def test_set_at_task_level(self):
-    self._do_test_goal_options(['--echo-one-skip'], None, ['foo:a', 'foo:b'])
-    self._do_test_goal_options(['--no-echo-two-transitive'], ['foo:a', 'foo:b'], ['foo:a'])
+    self._do_test_goal_options(['--echo-one-skip'], None, {'foo:a', 'foo:b'})
+    self._do_test_goal_options(['--no-echo-two-transitive'], {'foo:a', 'foo:b'}, {'foo:a'})
 
   def test_set_at_goal_and_task_level(self):
-    self._do_test_goal_options(['--skip', '--no-echo-one-skip'], ['foo:a', 'foo:b'], None)
+    self._do_test_goal_options(['--skip', '--no-echo-one-skip'], {'foo:a', 'foo:b'}, None)
     self._do_test_goal_options(['--no-transitive', '--echo-two-transitive'],
-                               ['foo:a'], ['foo:a', 'foo:b'])
+                               {'foo:a'}, {'foo:a', 'foo:b'})