diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/annotations/manytoone/ManyToOneTest.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/annotations/manytoone/ManyToOneTest.java
index 57a5d739d1..8efe81146a 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/annotations/manytoone/ManyToOneTest.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/annotations/manytoone/ManyToOneTest.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
  */
 public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	@Test
-	public void testEager() throws Exception {
+	public void testEager() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		car = (Car) s.get( Car.class, car.getId() );
+		car = s.get( Car.class, car.getId() );
 		tx.commit();
 		s.close();
 		assertNotNull( car );
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testDefaultMetadata() throws Exception {
+	public void testDefaultMetadata() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		car = (Car) s.get( Car.class, car.getId() );
+		car = s.get( Car.class, car.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( car );
 		assertNotNull( car.getBodyColor() );
 		assertEquals( c.getId(), car.getBodyColor().getId() );
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
 		Flight firstOne = new Flight();
-		firstOne.setId( new Long( 1 ) );
+		firstOne.setId(1L);
 		firstOne.setName( "AF0101" );
-		firstOne.setDuration( new Long( 1000 ) );
+		firstOne.setDuration(1000L);
 		Company frenchOne = new Company();
 		frenchOne.setName( "Air France" );
 		firstOne.setCompany( frenchOne );
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		firstOne = (Flight) s.get( Flight.class, new Long( 1 ) );
+		firstOne = s.get( Flight.class, 1L);
 		assertNotNull( firstOne.getCompany() );
 		assertEquals( frenchOne.getName(), firstOne.getCompany().getName() );
 		tx.commit();
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testCascade() throws Exception {
+	public void testCascade() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		Discount discount = new Discount();
 		discount.setDiscount( 20.12 );
 		Customer customer = new Customer();
-		Collection discounts = new ArrayList();
+		Collection<Discount> discounts = new ArrayList<>();
 		discounts.add( discount );
 		customer.setName( "Quentin Tarantino" );
 		discount.setOwner( customer );
@@ -132,14 +132,14 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		discount = (Discount) s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
+		discount = s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( discount );
 		assertEquals( 20.12, discount.getDiscount(), 0.01 );
 		assertNotNull( discount.getOwner() );
 		customer = new Customer();
 		customer.setName( "Clooney" );
 		discount.setOwner( customer );
-		discounts = new ArrayList();
+		discounts = new ArrayList<>();
 		discounts.add( discount );
 		customer.setDiscountTickets( discounts );
 		tx.commit();
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		discount = (Discount) s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
+		discount = s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( discount );
 		assertNotNull( discount.getOwner() );
 		assertEquals( "Clooney", discount.getOwner().getName() );
@@ -156,14 +156,14 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		customer = (Customer) s.get( Customer.class, customer.getId() );
+		customer = s.get( Customer.class, customer.getId() );
 		s.delete( customer );
 		tx.commit();
 		s.close();
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testFetch() throws Exception {
+	public void testFetch() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		Discount discount = new Discount();
 		discount.setDiscount( 20 );
 		Customer customer = new Customer();
-		Collection discounts = new ArrayList();
+		Collection<Discount> discounts = new ArrayList<>();
 		discounts.add( discount );
 		customer.setName( "Quentin Tarantino" );
 		discount.setOwner( customer );
@@ -182,14 +182,14 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		discount = (Discount) s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
+		discount = s.get( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( discount );
 		assertFalse( Hibernate.isInitialized( discount.getOwner() ) );
 		tx.commit();
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		discount = (Discount) s.load( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
+		discount = s.load( Discount.class, discount.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( discount );
 		assertFalse( Hibernate.isInitialized( discount.getOwner() ) );
 		tx.commit();
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testCompositeFK() throws Exception {
+	public void testCompositeFK() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testImplicitCompositeFk() throws Exception {
+	public void testImplicitCompositeFk() {
 		Session s;
 		Transaction tx;
 		s = openSession();
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		s = openSession();
 		tx = s.beginTransaction();
-		n2 = (Node) s.get( Node.class, n2pk );
+		n2 = s.get( Node.class, n2pk );
 		assertNotNull( n2 );
 		assertNotNull( n2.getParent() );
 		assertEquals( 1, n2.getParent().getId().getLevel() );
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testManyToOneNonPk() throws Exception {
+	public void testManyToOneNonPk() {
 		Session s = openSession();
 		Transaction tx = s.beginTransaction();
 		Order order = new Order();
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		s.persist( ol );
 		s.flush();
 		s.clear();
-		ol = (OrderLine) s.get( OrderLine.class, ol.getId() );
+		ol = s.get( OrderLine.class, ol.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( ol.getOrder() );
 		assertEquals( "123", ol.getOrder().getOrderNbr() );
 		assertTrue( ol.getOrder().getOrderLines().contains( ol ) );
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testManyToOneNonPkSecondaryTable() throws Exception {
+	public void testManyToOneNonPkSecondaryTable() {
 		Session s = openSession();
 		Transaction tx = s.beginTransaction();
 		Order order = new Order();
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		s.persist( ol );
 		s.flush();
 		s.clear();
-		ol = (OrderLine) s.get( OrderLine.class, ol.getId() );
+		ol = s.get( OrderLine.class, ol.getId() );
 		assertNotNull( ol.getReplacementOrder() );
 		assertEquals( "123", ol.getReplacementOrder().getOrderNbr() );
 		assertFalse( ol.getReplacementOrder().getOrderLines().contains( ol ) );
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testTwoManyToOneNonPk() throws Exception {
+	public void testTwoManyToOneNonPk() {
 		//2 many to one non pk pointing to the same referencedColumnName should not fail
 		Session s = openSession();
 		Transaction tx = s.beginTransaction();
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		s.persist( deal );
 		s.flush();
 		s.clear();
-		deal = (Deal) s.get( Deal.class, deal.id );
+		deal = s.get( Deal.class, deal.id );
 		assertNotNull( deal.from );
 		assertNotNull( deal.to );
 		tx.rollback();
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testFormulaOnOtherSide() throws Exception {
+	public void testFormulaOnOtherSide() {
 		Session s = openSession();
 		Transaction tx = s.beginTransaction();
 		Frame frame = new Frame();
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ public class ManyToOneTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		s.persist( r );
 		s.flush();
 		s.clear();
-		frame = (Frame) s.get( Frame.class, frame.getId() );
+		frame = s.get( Frame.class, frame.getId() );
 		assertEquals( 2, frame.getLenses().size() );
 		assertTrue( frame.getLenses().iterator().next().getLength() <= 1/1.2f );
 		assertTrue( frame.getLenses().iterator().next().getLength() >= 1/2.5f );
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/dirtiness/CustomDirtinessStrategyTest.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/dirtiness/CustomDirtinessStrategyTest.java
index 971b6c45e3..ddfbe66e74 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/dirtiness/CustomDirtinessStrategyTest.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/orm/test/dirtiness/CustomDirtinessStrategyTest.java
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ package org.hibernate.orm.test.dirtiness;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 
 import org.hibernate.CustomEntityDirtinessStrategy;
-import org.hibernate.EmptyInterceptor;
+import org.hibernate.Interceptor;
 import org.hibernate.Session;
 import org.hibernate.SessionBuilder;
 import org.hibernate.SessionFactory;
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		Thing thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		Thing thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		thing.setName( SUBSEQUENT_NAME );
 		session.getTransaction().commit();
 		session.close();
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		assertEquals( SUBSEQUENT_NAME, thing.getName() );
 		session.delete( thing );
 		session.getTransaction().commit();
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = sessionWithInterceptor().openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		Thing thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		Thing thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		thing.setName( SUBSEQUENT_NAME );
 		session.getTransaction().commit();
 		session.close();
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		assertEquals( SUBSEQUENT_NAME, thing.getName() );
 		session.delete( thing );
 		session.getTransaction().commit();
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testOnlyCustomStrategyConsultedOnNonDirty() throws Exception {
+	public void testOnlyCustomStrategyConsultedOnNonDirty() {
 		Session session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
 		Long id = (Long) session.save( new Thing( INITIAL_NAME ) );
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		Thing thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		Thing thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		// lets change the name
 		thing.setName( SUBSEQUENT_NAME );
 		assertTrue( Strategy.INSTANCE.isDirty( thing, null, null ) );
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 
 		session = openSession();
 		session.beginTransaction();
-		thing = (Thing) session.get( Thing.class, id );
+		thing = session.get( Thing.class, id );
 		assertEquals( INITIAL_NAME, thing.getName() );
 		session.createQuery( "delete Thing" ).executeUpdate();
 		session.getTransaction().commit();
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		public boolean canDirtyCheck(Object entity, EntityPersister persister, Session session) {
 			canDirtyCheckCount++;
 			System.out.println( "canDirtyCheck called" );
-			return Thing.class.isInstance( entity );
+			return entity instanceof Thing;
 		}
 
 		int isDirtyCount = 0;
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		public boolean isDirty(Object entity, EntityPersister persister, Session session) {
 			isDirtyCount++;
 			System.out.println( "isDirty called" );
-			return ! Thing.class.cast( entity ).changedValues.isEmpty();
+			return ! ((Thing) entity).changedValues.isEmpty();
 		}
 
 		int resetDirtyCount = 0;
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 		public void resetDirty(Object entity, EntityPersister persister, Session session) {
 			resetDirtyCount++;
 			System.out.println( "resetDirty called" );
-			Thing.class.cast( entity ).changedValues.clear();
+			((Thing) entity).changedValues.clear();
 		}
 
 		int findDirtyCount = 0;
@@ -178,12 +178,7 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 			findDirtyCount++;
 			System.out.println( "findDirty called" );
 			dirtyCheckContext.doDirtyChecking(
-					new AttributeChecker() {
-						@Override
-						public boolean isDirty(AttributeInformation attributeInformation) {
-							return Thing.class.cast( entity ).changedValues.containsKey( attributeInformation.getName() );
-						}
-					}
+					attributeInformation -> ((Thing) entity).changedValues.containsKey( attributeInformation.getName() )
 			);
 		}
 
@@ -196,8 +191,8 @@ public class CustomDirtinessStrategyTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	}
 
 
-	public static class OnFlushDirtyInterceptor extends EmptyInterceptor {
-		private static OnFlushDirtyInterceptor INSTANCE = new OnFlushDirtyInterceptor();
+	public static class OnFlushDirtyInterceptor implements Interceptor {
+		private static final OnFlushDirtyInterceptor INSTANCE = new OnFlushDirtyInterceptor();
 
 		@Override
 		public boolean onFlushDirty(