diff --git a/.github/workflows/format.yml b/.github/workflows/format.yml
index 1e6bd769..16ad85ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/format.yml
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install python libraries
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        pip install black pylint -r tools/requirements.txt
+        pip install black pylint pytest -r tools/requirements.txt
 
     - name: Run pylint and black
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        pylint tools --ignore=build,tests
+        pylint tools --ignore=build
         black --check tools
diff --git a/.pylintrc b/.pylintrc
index 91e2143d..7afd8185 100644
--- a/.pylintrc
+++ b/.pylintrc
@@ -431,7 +431,8 @@ disable=raw-checker-failed,
         use-symbolic-message-instead,
         missing-class-docstring,
         missing-function-docstring,
-        missing-module-docstring
+        missing-module-docstring,
+        fixme
 
 # Enable the message, report, category or checker with the given id(s). You can
 # either give multiple identifier separated by comma (,) or put this option
diff --git a/tools/README.md b/tools/README.md
index a5062a3f..4c0cbae9 100644
--- a/tools/README.md
+++ b/tools/README.md
@@ -18,15 +18,26 @@ This verifies exports by comparing the exports of an original DLL and the recomp
 ## checkorder
 This checks the order of C++ source and header files to make sure the functions are in order
 
+## isledecomp
+This is a library that is used by rhe above scripts. it has a collection of useful classes and functions
+
+### Testing
+`isledecomp` has a small suite of tests. Install pylint and run it, passing in the directory:
+
+```
+pip install pytest
+pytest tools/isledecomp/tests/
+```
+
 ## Development
 In order to keep the code clean and consistent, we use `pylint` and `black`:
 
 ```
 pip install black pylint
 ```
-### To run pylint:
+### To run pylint (ignores build and virtualenv):
 ```
-pylint tools/ --ignore=build,tests,bin,lib
+pylint tools/ --ignore=build,bin,lib
 ```
 
 ### To check code formatting without rewriting files:
@@ -36,4 +47,4 @@ black --check tools/
 ### To apply code formatting:
 ```
 black tools/
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
diff --git a/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser.py b/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser.py
index 1760d688..48bb0e44 100644
--- a/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import os
-import pytest
 from typing import List, TextIO
 from isledecomp.parser import find_code_blocks
 from isledecomp.parser.util import CodeBlock
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@ def sample_file(filename: str) -> TextIO:
     """Wrapper for opening the samples from the directory that does not
     depend on the cwd where we run the test"""
     full_path = os.path.join(SAMPLE_DIR, filename)
-    return open(full_path, "r")
+    return open(full_path, "r", encoding="utf-8")
 
 
 def code_blocks_are_sorted(blocks: List[CodeBlock]) -> bool:
diff --git a/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser_util.py b/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser_util.py
index a65ab503..91fd285b 100644
--- a/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser_util.py
+++ b/tools/isledecomp/tests/test_parser_util.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import pytest
 from collections import namedtuple
 from typing import List
+import pytest
 from isledecomp.parser.util import (
     is_blank_or_comment,
     match_offset_comment,
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ def test_is_blank_or_comment(line: str, expected: bool):
 ]
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("match, exact, line", offset_comment_samples)
-def test_offset_match(line: str, match: bool, exact):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("match, _, line", offset_comment_samples)
+def test_offset_match(line: str, match: bool, _):
     did_match = match_offset_comment(line) is not None
     assert did_match is match
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("match, exact, line", offset_comment_samples)
-def test_exact_offset_comment(line: str, exact: bool, match):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("_, exact, line", offset_comment_samples)
+def test_exact_offset_comment(line: str, exact: bool, _):
     assert is_exact_offset_comment(line) is exact