diff --git a/certbot/tests/error_handler_test.py b/certbot/tests/error_handler_test.py
index 5434b36be..c2551195a 100644
--- a/certbot/tests/error_handler_test.py
+++ b/certbot/tests/error_handler_test.py
@@ -1,11 +1,33 @@
 """Tests for certbot.error_handler."""
+import os
 import signal
 import sys
 import unittest
+from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 import mock
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def signal_receiver(signums):
+    """Context manager to catch signals"""
+    def receiver(signum, unused_frame):
+        signals.append(signum)
+    signals = []
+    prev_handlers = {}
+    for signum in signums:
+        prev_handlers[signum] = signal.getsignal(signum)
+        signal.signal(signum, receiver)
+    yield signals
+    for signum in signums:
+        signal.signal(signum, prev_handlers[signum])
+
+
+def send_signal(signum):
+    """Send the given signal"""
+    os.kill(os.getpid(), signum)
+
+
 class ErrorHandlerTest(unittest.TestCase):
     """Tests for certbot.error_handler."""
 
@@ -30,25 +52,20 @@ class ErrorHandlerTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.init_func.assert_called_once_with(*self.init_args,
                                                **self.init_kwargs)
 
-    @mock.patch('certbot.error_handler.os')
-    @mock.patch('certbot.error_handler.signal')
-    def test_signal_handler(self, mock_signal, mock_os):
-        # pylint: disable=protected-access
-        mock_signal.getsignal.return_value = signal.SIG_DFL
-        self.handler.set_signal_handlers()
-        signal_handler = self.handler._signal_handler
-        for signum in self.signals:
-            mock_signal.signal.assert_any_call(signum, signal_handler)
+    def test_context_manager_with_signal(self):
+        with signal_receiver(self.signals) as signals_received:
+            with self.handler:
+                should_be_42 = 42
+                send_signal(signal.SIGTERM)
+                should_be_42 *= 10
 
-        signum = self.signals[0]
-        signal_handler(signum, None)
+        # check exectuion stoped when the signal was sent
+        assert 42 == should_be_42
+        # assert signals were caught
+        assert [signal.SIGTERM] == signals_received
+        # assert the error handling function was just called once
         self.init_func.assert_called_once_with(*self.init_args,
                                                **self.init_kwargs)
-        mock_os.kill.assert_called_once_with(mock_os.getpid(), signum)
-
-        self.handler.reset_signal_handlers()
-        for signum in self.signals:
-            mock_signal.signal.assert_any_call(signum, signal.SIG_DFL)
 
     def test_bad_recovery(self):
         bad_func = mock.MagicMock(side_effect=[ValueError])
@@ -58,6 +75,18 @@ class ErrorHandlerTest(unittest.TestCase):
                                                **self.init_kwargs)
         bad_func.assert_called_once_with()
 
+    def test_bad_recovery_with_signal(self):
+        bad_func = mock.MagicMock(
+                side_effect=lambda: send_signal(signal.SIGHUP))
+        self.handler.register(bad_func)
+        with signal_receiver(self.signals) as signals_received:
+            with self.handler:
+                send_signal(signal.SIGTERM)
+        assert [signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIGHUP] == signals_received
+        self.init_func.assert_called_once_with(*self.init_args,
+                                               **self.init_kwargs)
+        bad_func.assert_called_once_with()
+
     def test_sysexit_ignored(self):
         try:
             with self.handler: