diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index fcf2e420..0b307700 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -24,13 +24,11 @@ task :default do
   if Tests::CurrentBundle.instance.appraisal_in_use?
     sh 'rake spec:unit --trace'
     sh 'rake spec:acceptance --trace'
+  elsif ENV['CI']
+    exec 'appraisal install && appraisal rake --trace'
   else
-    if ENV['CI']
-      exec 'appraisal install && appraisal rake --trace'
-    else
-      appraisal = Tests::CurrentBundle.instance.latest_appraisal
-      exec "appraisal install && appraisal #{appraisal} rake --trace"
-    end
+    appraisal = Tests::CurrentBundle.instance.latest_appraisal
+    exec "appraisal install && appraisal #{appraisal} rake --trace"
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_model/allow_mass_assignment_of_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_model/allow_mass_assignment_of_matcher.rb
index 2c81db7b..4e9bea61 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_model/allow_mass_assignment_of_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_model/allow_mass_assignment_of_matcher.rb
@@ -90,14 +90,12 @@ module Shoulda
           if attr_mass_assignable?
             if whitelisting?
               @failure_message_when_negated = "#{@attribute} was made accessible"
+            elsif protected_attributes.empty?
+              @failure_message_when_negated = 'no attributes were protected'
             else
-              if protected_attributes.empty?
-                @failure_message_when_negated = 'no attributes were protected'
-              else
-                @failure_message_when_negated = "#{class_name} is protecting " <<
-                  "#{protected_attributes.to_a.to_sentence}, " <<
-                  "but not #{@attribute}."
-              end
+              @failure_message_when_negated = "#{class_name} is protecting " <<
+                "#{protected_attributes.to_a.to_sentence}, " <<
+                "but not #{@attribute}."
             end
             true
           else
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/serialize_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/serialize_matcher.rb
index ca8965b0..f4415819 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/serialize_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/serialize_matcher.rb
@@ -141,13 +141,11 @@ module Shoulda
             klass = serialization_coder
             if klass == @options[:type]
               true
+            elsif klass.respond_to?(:object_class) && klass.object_class == @options[:type]
+              true
             else
-              if klass.respond_to?(:object_class) && klass.object_class == @options[:type]
-                true
-              else
-                @missing = ":#{@name} should be a type of #{@options[:type]}"
-                false
-              end
+              @missing = ":#{@name} should be a type of #{@options[:type]}"
+              false
             end
           else
             true
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/validate_uniqueness_of_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/validate_uniqueness_of_matcher.rb
index 54508327..514cb83e 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/validate_uniqueness_of_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/validate_uniqueness_of_matcher.rb
@@ -952,22 +952,20 @@ module Shoulda
             end
 
             prefix << ', and saving it as the existing record, then'
+          elsif attribute_setter_for_existing_record
+            prefix << "Given an existing #{model.name},"
+            prefix << ' after setting '
+            prefix << description_for_attribute_setter(
+              attribute_setter_for_existing_record
+            )
+            prefix << ', then'
           else
-            if attribute_setter_for_existing_record
-              prefix << "Given an existing #{model.name},"
-              prefix << ' after setting '
-              prefix << description_for_attribute_setter(
-                attribute_setter_for_existing_record
-              )
-              prefix << ', then'
-            else
-              prefix << "Given an existing #{model.name} whose :#{attribute}"
-              prefix << ' is '
-              prefix << Shoulda::Matchers::Util.inspect_value(
-                existing_value_read
-              )
-              prefix << ', after'
-            end
+            prefix << "Given an existing #{model.name} whose :#{attribute}"
+            prefix << ' is '
+            prefix << Shoulda::Matchers::Util.inspect_value(
+              existing_value_read
+            )
+            prefix << ', after'
           end
 
           prefix << " making a new #{model.name} and setting "