diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_basemap.py b/pygmt/tests/test_basemap.py
index 66804889a50..2d73f08986d 100644
--- a/pygmt/tests/test_basemap.py
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_basemap.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def test_basemap_power_axis():
     fig.basemap(
         region=[0, 100, 0, 5000],
         projection="x1p0.5/-0.001",
-        frame=['x1p+l"Crustal age"', "y500+lDepth"],
+        frame=["x1p+lCrustal age", "y500+lDepth"],
     )
     return fig
 
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_config.py b/pygmt/tests/test_config.py
index 067ee1b7289..2b47a52ff44 100644
--- a/pygmt/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_config.py
@@ -14,21 +14,21 @@ def test_config():
     # Change global settings of current figure
     config(FONT_ANNOT_PRIMARY="blue")
     fig.basemap(
-        region=[0, 10, 0, 10], projection="X5c/5c", frame=["af", '+t"Blue Annotation"']
+        region=[0, 10, 0, 10], projection="X5c/5c", frame=["af", "+tBlue Annotation"]
     )
 
     with config(FONT_LABEL="red", FONT_ANNOT_PRIMARY="red"):
         fig.basemap(
             region=[0, 10, 0, 10],
             projection="X5c/5c",
-            frame=['xaf+l"red label"', "yaf", '+t"red annotation"'],
+            frame=["xaf+lred label", "yaf", "+tred annotation"],
             xshift="7c",
         )
 
     fig.basemap(
         region=[0, 10, 0, 10],
         projection="X5c/5c",
-        frame=["af", '+t"Blue Annotation"'],
+        frame=["af", "+tBlue Annotation"],
         xshift="7c",
     )
     # Revert to default settings in current figure