diff --git a/salt/utils/asynchronous.py b/salt/utils/asynchronous.py
index 88596a4a20b..55a50cbcbff 100644
--- a/salt/utils/asynchronous.py
+++ b/salt/utils/asynchronous.py
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@
 Helpers/utils for working with tornado asynchronous stuff
 """
 
-
 import contextlib
 import logging
-import sys
-import threading
 
 import salt.ext.tornado.concurrent
 import salt.ext.tornado.ioloop
@@ -111,30 +108,12 @@ def __getattr__(self, key):
 
     def _wrap(self, key):
         def wrap(*args, **kwargs):
-            results = []
-            thread = threading.Thread(
-                target=self._target,
-                args=(key, args, kwargs, results, self.io_loop),
+            return self.io_loop.run_sync(
+                lambda: getattr(self.obj, key)(*args, **kwargs)
             )
-            thread.start()
-            thread.join()
-            if results[0]:
-                return results[1]
-            else:
-                exc_info = results[1]
-                raise exc_info[1].with_traceback(exc_info[2])
 
         return wrap
 
-    def _target(self, key, args, kwargs, results, io_loop):
-        try:
-            result = io_loop.run_sync(lambda: getattr(self.obj, key)(*args, **kwargs))
-            results.append(True)
-            results.append(result)
-        except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
-            results.append(False)
-            results.append(sys.exc_info())
-
     def __enter__(self):
         return self
 
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2b5613e2bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import tornado.gen
+import tornado.ioloop
+
+import salt.utils.asynchronous as asynchronous
+
+
+class HelperA:
+
+    async_methods = [
+        "sleep",
+    ]
+
+    def __init__(self, io_loop=None):
+        pass
+
+    @tornado.gen.coroutine
+    def sleep(self):
+        yield tornado.gen.sleep(0.1)
+        raise tornado.gen.Return(True)
+
+
+class HelperB:
+
+    async_methods = [
+        "sleep",
+    ]
+
+    def __init__(self, a=None, io_loop=None):
+        if a is None:
+            a = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
+        self.a = a
+
+    @tornado.gen.coroutine
+    def sleep(self):
+        yield tornado.gen.sleep(0.1)
+        self.a.sleep()
+        raise tornado.gen.Return(False)
+
+
+def test_helpers():
+    """
+    Test that the helper classes do what we expect within a regular asynchronous env
+    """
+    io_loop = tornado.ioloop.IOLoop(make_current=False)
+    ret = io_loop.run_sync(lambda: HelperA().sleep())
+    assert ret is True
+
+    ret = io_loop.run_sync(lambda: HelperB().sleep())
+    assert ret is False
+
+
+def test_basic_wrap():
+    """
+    Test that we can wrap an asynchronous caller.
+    """
+    sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
+    ret = sync.sleep()
+    assert ret is True
+
+
+def test_basic_wrap_series():
+    """
+    Test that we can wrap an asynchronous caller and call the method in series.
+    """
+    sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
+    ret = sync.sleep()
+    assert ret is True
+    ret = sync.sleep()
+    assert ret is True
+
+
+def test_double():
+    """
+    Test when the asynchronous wrapper object itself creates a wrap of another thing
+
+    This works fine since the second wrap is based on the first's IOLoop so we
+    don't have to worry about complex start/stop mechanics
+    """
+    sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperB)
+    ret = sync.sleep()
+    assert ret is False
+
+
+def test_double_sameloop():
+    """
+    Test asynchronous wrappers initiated from the same IOLoop, to ensure that
+    we don't wire up both to the same IOLoop (since it causes MANY problems).
+    """
+    a = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
+    sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperB, (a,))
+    ret = sync.sleep()
+    assert ret is False
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e5bd974cb62..00000000000
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_asynchronous.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-import salt.ext.tornado.gen
-import salt.ext.tornado.testing
-import salt.utils.asynchronous as asynchronous
-from salt.ext.tornado.testing import AsyncTestCase
-
-
-class HelperA:
-
-    async_methods = [
-        "sleep",
-    ]
-
-    def __init__(self, io_loop=None):
-        pass
-
-    @salt.ext.tornado.gen.coroutine
-    def sleep(self):
-        yield salt.ext.tornado.gen.sleep(0.1)
-        raise salt.ext.tornado.gen.Return(True)
-
-
-class HelperB:
-
-    async_methods = [
-        "sleep",
-    ]
-
-    def __init__(self, a=None, io_loop=None):
-        if a is None:
-            a = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
-        self.a = a
-
-    @salt.ext.tornado.gen.coroutine
-    def sleep(self):
-        yield salt.ext.tornado.gen.sleep(0.1)
-        self.a.sleep()
-        raise salt.ext.tornado.gen.Return(False)
-
-
-class TestSyncWrapper(AsyncTestCase):
-    @salt.ext.tornado.testing.gen_test
-    def test_helpers(self):
-        """
-        Test that the helper classes do what we expect within a regular asynchronous env
-        """
-        ha = HelperA()
-        ret = yield ha.sleep()
-        self.assertTrue(ret)
-
-        hb = HelperB()
-        ret = yield hb.sleep()
-        self.assertFalse(ret)
-
-    def test_basic_wrap(self):
-        """
-        Test that we can wrap an asynchronous caller.
-        """
-        sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
-        ret = sync.sleep()
-        self.assertTrue(ret)
-
-    def test_double(self):
-        """
-        Test when the asynchronous wrapper object itself creates a wrap of another thing
-
-        This works fine since the second wrap is based on the first's IOLoop so we
-        don't have to worry about complex start/stop mechanics
-        """
-        sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperB)
-        ret = sync.sleep()
-        self.assertFalse(ret)
-
-    def test_double_sameloop(self):
-        """
-        Test asynchronous wrappers initiated from the same IOLoop, to ensure that
-        we don't wire up both to the same IOLoop (since it causes MANY problems).
-        """
-        a = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperA)
-        sync = asynchronous.SyncWrapper(HelperB, (a,))
-        ret = sync.sleep()
-        self.assertFalse(ret)