diff --git a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
index aadd02cb756..4b14f668da4 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
@@ -26,14 +26,15 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HConstants;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.AuthUtil;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.Cell;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.Coprocessor;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HBaseTestingUtility;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HColumnDescriptor;
-import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HConstants;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HTableDescriptor;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.TableNotFoundException;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Admin;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Connection;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.ConnectionFactory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Delete;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Result;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.ResultScanner;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Scan;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Table;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.HTable;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.master.MasterCoprocessorHost;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.regionserver.RegionServerCoprocessorHost;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.security.User;
@@ -77,7 +79,6 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
 
   @Rule
   public TestTableName TEST_TABLE = new TestTableName();
-
   private static final HBaseTestingUtility TEST_UTIL = new HBaseTestingUtility();
   private static final byte[] TEST_FAMILY = Bytes.toBytes("f1");
   private static final byte[] TEST_ROW = Bytes.toBytes("cellpermtest");
@@ -96,8 +97,6 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
   private static User USER_OTHER;
   private static String[] usersAndGroups;
 
-  private Connection connection;
-
   @BeforeClass
   public static void setupBeforeClass() throws Exception {
     // setup configuration
@@ -141,16 +140,16 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
   @Before
   public void setUp() throws Exception {
     // Create the test table (owner added to the _acl_ table)
-    this.connection = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(TEST_UTIL.getConfiguration());
+    Admin admin = TEST_UTIL.getHBaseAdmin();
     HTableDescriptor htd = new HTableDescriptor(TEST_TABLE.getTableName());
     HColumnDescriptor hcd = new HColumnDescriptor(TEST_FAMILY);
     hcd.setMaxVersions(4);
     htd.setOwner(USER_OWNER);
     htd.addFamily(hcd);
-    TEST_UTIL.createTable(htd, new byte[][] { Bytes.toBytes("s") });
+    admin.createTable(htd, new byte[][] { Bytes.toBytes("s") });
+    TEST_UTIL.waitTableEnabled(TEST_TABLE.getTableName());
     LOG.info("Sleeping a second because of HBASE-12581");
     Threads.sleep(1000);
-    this.connection = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(TEST_UTIL.getConfiguration());
   }
 
   @Test (timeout=120000)
@@ -163,17 +162,17 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
             Table t = connection.getTable(TEST_TABLE.getTableName())) {
           Put p;
           // with ro ACL
-          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).addColumn(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q1, ZERO);
+          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).add(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q1, ZERO);
           p.setACL(prepareCellPermissions(usersAndGroups, Action.READ));
           t.put(p);
           // with rw ACL
-          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).addColumn(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q2, ZERO);
+          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).add(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q2, ZERO);
           p.setACL(prepareCellPermissions(usersAndGroups, Action.READ, Action.WRITE));
           t.put(p);
           // no ACL
           p = new Put(TEST_ROW)
-            .addColumn(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q3, ZERO)
-            .addColumn(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q4, ZERO);
+            .add(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q3, ZERO)
+            .add(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q4, ZERO);
           t.put(p);
         }
         return null;
@@ -403,7 +402,7 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
         try(Connection connection = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(conf);
             Table t = connection.getTable(TEST_TABLE.getTableName())) {
           Put p;
-          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).addColumn(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q1, ZERO);
+          p = new Put(TEST_ROW).add(TEST_FAMILY, TEST_Q1, ZERO);
           t.put(p);
         }
         return null;
@@ -466,6 +465,5 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
       LOG.info("Test deleted table " + TEST_TABLE.getTableName());
     }
     assertEquals(0, AccessControlLists.getTablePermissions(conf, TEST_TABLE.getTableName()).size());
-    this.connection.close();
   }
 }