diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php b/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
index 9002ef46f7c..2d8713e3494 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
@@ -13,34 +13,36 @@ use Drupal\KernelTests\KernelTestBase;
  */
 class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
 
-  protected $key;
-  protected $target;
+  /**
+   * A target connection identifier to be used for testing.
+   */
+  const TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION = 'DatabaseConnectionUnitTest';
 
+  /**
+   * The default database connection used for testing.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
+   */
+  protected $connection;
+
+  /**
+   * A database connection used for monitoring processes.
+   *
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
+   */
   protected $monitor;
-  protected $originalCount;
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   protected function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
 
-    $this->key = 'default';
-    $this->originalTarget = 'default';
-    $this->target = 'DatabaseConnectionUnitTest';
-
-    // Determine whether the database driver is MySQL. If it is not, the test
-    // methods will not be executed.
-    // @todo Make this test driver-agnostic, or find a proper way to skip it.
-    //   See https://www.drupal.org/node/1273478.
-    $connection_info = Database::getConnectionInfo('default');
-    $this->skipTest = (bool) ($connection_info['default']['driver'] != 'mysql');
-    if ($this->skipTest) {
-      // Insert an assertion to prevent Simpletest from interpreting the test
-      // as failure.
-      $this->pass('This test is only compatible with MySQL.');
-    }
+    $this->connection = Database::getConnection();
 
     // Create an additional connection to monitor the connections being opened
     // and closed in this test.
-    // @see TestBase::changeDatabasePrefix()
+    $connection_info = Database::getConnectionInfo();
     Database::addConnectionInfo('default', 'monitor', $connection_info['default']);
     $this->monitor = Database::getConnection('monitor');
   }
@@ -50,13 +52,13 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    */
   protected function addConnection() {
     // Add a new target to the connection, by cloning the current connection.
-    $connection_info = Database::getConnectionInfo($this->key);
-    Database::addConnectionInfo($this->key, $this->target, $connection_info[$this->originalTarget]);
+    $connection_info = Database::getConnectionInfo();
+    Database::addConnectionInfo('default', static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION, $connection_info['default']);
 
     // Verify that the new target exists.
-    $info = Database::getConnectionInfo($this->key);
-    // Note: Custom assertion message to not expose database credentials.
-    $this->assertIdentical($info[$this->target], $connection_info[$this->key], 'New connection info found.');
+    $info = Database::getConnectionInfo();
+    // New connection info found.
+    $this->assertSame($connection_info['default'], $info[static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION]);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * @return int
    */
   protected function getConnectionId() {
-    return (int) Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->query('SELECT CONNECTION_ID()')->fetchField();
+    return (int) Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->query('SELECT CONNECTION_ID()')->fetchField();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -96,19 +98,22 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * @todo getConnectionId() executes a query.
    */
   public function testOpenClose() {
-    if ($this->skipTest) {
-      return;
+    // Only run this test for the 'mysql' driver.
+    $driver = $this->connection->driver();
+    if ($driver !== 'mysql') {
+      $this->markTestSkipped("MySql tests can not run for driver '$driver'.");
     }
+
     // Add and open a new connection.
     $this->addConnection();
     $id = $this->getConnectionId();
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
 
     // Verify that there is a new connection.
     $this->assertConnection($id);
 
     // Close the connection.
-    Database::closeConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::closeConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
     // Wait 20ms to give the database engine sufficient time to react.
     usleep(20000);
 
@@ -120,22 +125,25 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * Tests Database::closeConnection() with a query.
    */
   public function testOpenQueryClose() {
-    if ($this->skipTest) {
-      return;
+    // Only run this test for the 'mysql' driver.
+    $driver = $this->connection->driver();
+    if ($driver !== 'mysql') {
+      $this->markTestSkipped("MySql tests can not run for driver '$driver'.");
     }
+
     // Add and open a new connection.
     $this->addConnection();
     $id = $this->getConnectionId();
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
 
     // Verify that there is a new connection.
     $this->assertConnection($id);
 
     // Execute a query.
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->query('SHOW TABLES');
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->query('SHOW TABLES');
 
     // Close the connection.
-    Database::closeConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::closeConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
     // Wait 20ms to give the database engine sufficient time to react.
     usleep(20000);
 
@@ -147,22 +155,25 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * Tests Database::closeConnection() with a query and custom prefetch method.
    */
   public function testOpenQueryPrefetchClose() {
-    if ($this->skipTest) {
-      return;
+    // Only run this test for the 'mysql' driver.
+    $driver = $this->connection->driver();
+    if ($driver !== 'mysql') {
+      $this->markTestSkipped("MySql tests can not run for driver '$driver'.");
     }
+
     // Add and open a new connection.
     $this->addConnection();
     $id = $this->getConnectionId();
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
 
     // Verify that there is a new connection.
     $this->assertConnection($id);
 
     // Execute a query.
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->query('SHOW TABLES')->fetchCol();
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->query('SHOW TABLES')->fetchCol();
 
     // Close the connection.
-    Database::closeConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::closeConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
     // Wait 20ms to give the database engine sufficient time to react.
     usleep(20000);
 
@@ -174,20 +185,23 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * Tests Database::closeConnection() with a select query.
    */
   public function testOpenSelectQueryClose() {
-    if ($this->skipTest) {
-      return;
+    // Only run this test for the 'mysql' driver.
+    $driver = $this->connection->driver();
+    if ($driver !== 'mysql') {
+      $this->markTestSkipped("MySql tests can not run for driver '$driver'.");
     }
+
     // Add and open a new connection.
     $this->addConnection();
     $id = $this->getConnectionId();
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
 
     // Verify that there is a new connection.
     $this->assertConnection($id);
 
     // Create a table.
     $name = 'foo';
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->schema()->createTable($name, [
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->schema()->createTable($name, [
       'fields' => [
         'name' => [
           'type' => 'varchar',
@@ -197,16 +211,16 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
     ]);
 
     // Execute a query.
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->select('foo', 'f')
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->select('foo', 'f')
       ->fields('f', ['name'])
       ->execute()
       ->fetchAll();
 
     // Drop the table.
-    Database::getConnection($this->target, $this->key)->schema()->dropTable($name);
+    Database::getConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION)->schema()->dropTable($name);
 
     // Close the connection.
-    Database::closeConnection($this->target, $this->key);
+    Database::closeConnection(static::TEST_TARGET_CONNECTION);
     // Wait 20ms to give the database engine sufficient time to react.
     usleep(20000);
 
@@ -218,31 +232,32 @@ class ConnectionUnitTest extends KernelTestBase {
    * Tests pdo options override.
    */
   public function testConnectionOpen() {
-    $connection = Database::getConnection('default');
-    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($connection);
+    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($this->connection);
     $connection_property = $reflection->getProperty('connection');
     $connection_property->setAccessible(TRUE);
     // Skip this test when a database driver does not implement PDO.
     // An alternative database driver that does not implement PDO
     // should implement its own connection test.
-    if (get_class($connection_property->getValue($connection)) !== 'PDO') {
+    if (get_class($connection_property->getValue($this->connection)) !== 'PDO') {
       $this->markTestSkipped('Ignored PDO connection unit test for this driver because it does not implement PDO.');
     }
-    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($connection)
+    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($this->connection)
       ->getAttribute(\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE);
-    $this->assertEqual($error_mode, \PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION, 'Ensure the default error mode is set to exception.');
+    // Ensure the default error mode is set to exception.
+    $this->assertSame(\PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION, $error_mode);
 
-    $connection = Database::getConnectionInfo('default');
-    $connection['default']['pdo'][\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE] = \PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT;
-    Database::addConnectionInfo('test', 'default', $connection['default']);
-    $connection = Database::getConnection('default', 'test');
+    $connection_info = Database::getConnectionInfo();
+    $connection_info['default']['pdo'][\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE] = \PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT;
+    Database::addConnectionInfo('test', 'default', $connection_info['default']);
+    $test_connection = Database::getConnection('default', 'test');
 
-    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($connection);
+    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($test_connection);
     $connection_property = $reflection->getProperty('connection');
     $connection_property->setAccessible(TRUE);
-    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($connection)
+    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($test_connection)
       ->getAttribute(\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE);
-    $this->assertEqual($error_mode, \PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT, 'Ensure PDO connection options can be overridden.');
+    // Ensure PDO connection options can be overridden.
+    $this->assertSame(\PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT, $error_mode);
 
     Database::removeConnection('test');
   }