diff --git a/.kitchen.yml b/.kitchen.yml
index 6dc1a7faf4..2988e0083b 100644
--- a/.kitchen.yml
+++ b/.kitchen.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 <% vagrant = system('gem list -i kitchen-vagrant 2>/dev/null >/dev/null') %>
-<% version = '2017.7.6' %>
+<% version = '2018.3.3' %>
 <% platformsfile = ENV['SALT_KITCHEN_PLATFORMS'] || '.kitchen/platforms.yml' %>
 <% driverfile = ENV['SALT_KITCHEN_DRIVER'] || '.kitchen/driver.yml' %>
 <% verifierfile = ENV['SALT_KITCHEN_VERIFIER'] || '.kitchen/verifier.yml' %>
diff --git a/salt/client/__init__.py b/salt/client/__init__.py
index e8eca28b24..d7cd3f18b6 100644
--- a/salt/client/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/client/__init__.py
@@ -1208,6 +1208,13 @@ class LocalClient(object):
                 if raw['data']['return'] == {}:
                     continue
 
+                # if the minion throws an exception containing the word "return"
+                # the master will try to handle the string as a dict in the next
+                # step. Check if we have a string, log the issue and continue.
+                if isinstance(raw['data']['return'], six.string_types):
+                    log.error("unexpected return from minion: %s", raw)
+                    continue
+
                 if 'return' in raw['data']['return'] and \
                     raw['data']['return']['return'] == {}:
                     continue
diff --git a/salt/modules/aptpkg.py b/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
index b5b3784d90..3a42a909c6 100644
--- a/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
+++ b/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 # Import python libs
 import copy
-import fnmatch
 import os
 import re
 import logging
@@ -274,6 +273,7 @@ def latest_version(*names, **kwargs):
         return ret[names[0]]
     return ret
 
+
 # available_version is being deprecated
 available_version = salt.utils.functools.alias_function(latest_version, 'available_version')
 
@@ -1543,12 +1543,22 @@ def list_repo_pkgs(*args, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-import
         salt '*' pkg.list_repo_pkgs
         salt '*' pkg.list_repo_pkgs foo bar baz
     '''
-    out = _call_apt(['apt-cache', 'dump'], scope=False, ignore_retcode=True)
+    if args:
+        # Get only information about packages in args
+        cmd = ['apt-cache', 'show'] + [arg for arg in args]
+    else:
+        # Get information about all available packages
+        cmd = ['apt-cache', 'dump']
+
+    out = _call_apt(cmd, scope=False, ignore_retcode=True)
+
     ret = {}
     pkg_name = None
     skip_pkg = False
     new_pkg = re.compile('^Package: (.+)')
     for line in salt.utils.itertools.split(out['stdout'], '\n'):
+        if not line.strip():
+            continue
         try:
             cur_pkg = new_pkg.match(line).group(1)
         except AttributeError:
@@ -1556,22 +1566,10 @@ def list_repo_pkgs(*args, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-import
         else:
             if cur_pkg != pkg_name:
                 pkg_name = cur_pkg
-                if args:
-                    for arg in args:
-                        if fnmatch.fnmatch(pkg_name, arg):
-                            skip_pkg = False
-                            break
-                    else:
-                        # Package doesn't match any of the passed args, skip it
-                        skip_pkg = True
-                else:
-                    # No args passed, we're getting all packages
-                    skip_pkg = False
                 continue
-        if not skip_pkg:
-            comps = line.strip().split(None, 1)
-            if comps[0] == 'Version:':
-                ret.setdefault(pkg_name, []).append(comps[1])
+        comps = line.strip().split(None, 1)
+        if comps[0] == 'Version:':
+            ret.setdefault(pkg_name, []).append(comps[1])
 
     return ret
 
diff --git a/salt/modules/localemod.py b/salt/modules/localemod.py
index 1b39ca1f54..6c97c26dfe 100644
--- a/salt/modules/localemod.py
+++ b/salt/modules/localemod.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ def _localectl_status():
             ctl_key = ctl_key.strip().lower().replace(' ', '_')
         else:
             ctl_data = line.strip()
+        if not ctl_data:
+            continue
         if ctl_key:
             if '=' in ctl_data:
                 loc_set = ctl_data.split('=')
diff --git a/salt/states/boto_vpc.py b/salt/states/boto_vpc.py
index f771e16b35..3e8830c8a0 100644
--- a/salt/states/boto_vpc.py
+++ b/salt/states/boto_vpc.py
@@ -907,9 +907,9 @@ def route_table_present(name, vpc_name=None, vpc_id=None, routes=None,
               interface_id: eni-123456
             - destination_cidr_block: 10.10.13.0/24
               instance_name: mygatewayserver
-            - subnet_names:
-              - subnet1
-              - subnet2
+          - subnet_names:
+            - subnet1
+            - subnet2
 
     name
         Name of the route table.
diff --git a/salt/states/pip_state.py b/salt/states/pip_state.py
index 1b17c15156..42454d5f46 100644
--- a/salt/states/pip_state.py
+++ b/salt/states/pip_state.py
@@ -46,10 +46,15 @@ except ImportError:
 if HAS_PIP is True:
     try:
         from pip.req import InstallRequirement
+        _from_line = InstallRequirement.from_line
     except ImportError:
         # pip 10.0.0 move req module under pip._internal
         try:
-            from pip._internal.req import InstallRequirement
+            try:
+                from pip._internal.req import InstallRequirement
+                _from_line = InstallRequirement.from_line
+            except AttributeError:
+                from pip._internal.req.constructors import install_req_from_line as _from_line
         except ImportError:
             HAS_PIP = False
             # Remove references to the loaded pip module above so reloading works
@@ -137,7 +142,7 @@ def _check_pkg_version_format(pkg):
             # The next line is meant to trigger an AttributeError and
             # handle lower pip versions
             log.debug('Installed pip version: %s', pip.__version__)
-            install_req = InstallRequirement.from_line(pkg)
+            install_req = _from_line(pkg)
         except AttributeError:
             log.debug('Installed pip version is lower than 1.2')
             supported_vcs = ('git', 'svn', 'hg', 'bzr')
@@ -145,12 +150,12 @@ def _check_pkg_version_format(pkg):
                 for vcs in supported_vcs:
                     if pkg.startswith(vcs):
                         from_vcs = True
-                        install_req = InstallRequirement.from_line(
+                        install_req = _from_line(
                             pkg.split('{0}+'.format(vcs))[-1]
                         )
                         break
             else:
-                install_req = InstallRequirement.from_line(pkg)
+                install_req = _from_line(pkg)
     except (ValueError, InstallationError) as exc:
         ret['result'] = False
         if not from_vcs and '=' in pkg and '==' not in pkg:
diff --git a/tests/integration/cloud/clouds/test_ec2.py b/tests/integration/cloud/clouds/test_ec2.py
index e2c0a2ac45..2ee244962c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/cloud/clouds/test_ec2.py
+++ b/tests/integration/cloud/clouds/test_ec2.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from tests.support.helpers import expensiveTest, generate_random_name
 from tests.support.unit import skipIf
 from tests.support import win_installer
 
+
 # Create the cloud instance name to be used throughout the tests
 INSTANCE_NAME = generate_random_name('CLOUD-TEST-')
 PROVIDER_NAME = 'ec2'
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ class EC2Test(ShellCase):
     Integration tests for the EC2 cloud provider in Salt-Cloud
     '''
 
+
     def _installer_name(self):
         '''
         Determine the downloaded installer name by searching the files
diff --git a/tests/integration/files/file/base/_grains/matcher_grain.py b/tests/integration/files/file/base/_grains/matcher_grain.py
index 8f4b9523e5..f7d6c8f76f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/files/file/base/_grains/matcher_grain.py
+++ b/tests/integration/files/file/base/_grains/matcher_grain.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 
 def myfunction():
     grains = {}
-    grains['a_custom'] = {'k1': 'v1'}
+    grains['match'] = 'maker'
     return grains
diff --git a/tests/unit/beacons/test_diskusage.py b/tests/unit/beacons/test_diskusage.py
index ed10e67519..c12acf93d4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/beacons/test_diskusage.py
+++ b/tests/unit/beacons/test_diskusage.py
@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@ class DiskUsageBeaconTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
 
     def test_diskusage_match(self):
         disk_usage_mock = Mock(side_effect=STUB_DISK_USAGE)
-        with patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
-                   MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
-                patch('psutil.disk_usage', disk_usage_mock):
+        with patch('salt.utils.platform.is_windows',
+                   MagicMock(return_value=False)),\
+                 patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
+                       MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
+                 patch('psutil.disk_usage', disk_usage_mock):
             config = [{'/': '50%'}]
 
             ret = diskusage.validate(config)
@@ -88,8 +90,10 @@ class DiskUsageBeaconTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
 
     def test_diskusage_nomatch(self):
         disk_usage_mock = Mock(side_effect=STUB_DISK_USAGE)
-        with patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
-                   MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
+        with patch('salt.utils.platform.is_windows',
+                   MagicMock(return_value=False)),\
+                patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
+                      MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
                 patch('psutil.disk_usage', disk_usage_mock):
             config = [{'/': '70%'}]
 
@@ -102,8 +106,10 @@ class DiskUsageBeaconTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
 
     def test_diskusage_match_regex(self):
         disk_usage_mock = Mock(side_effect=STUB_DISK_USAGE)
-        with patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
-                   MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
+        with patch('salt.utils.platform.is_windows',
+                   MagicMock(return_value=False)),\
+                patch('psutil.disk_partitions',
+                      MagicMock(return_value=STUB_DISK_PARTITION)), \
                 patch('psutil.disk_usage', disk_usage_mock):
             config = [{r'^\/': '50%'}]
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/modules/test_localemod.py b/tests/unit/modules/test_localemod.py
index 8534b649f6..a72613ecd9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/modules/test_localemod.py
+++ b/tests/unit/modules/test_localemod.py
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ class LocalemodTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
        X11 Model: pc105
     '''
     locale_ctl_notset = '''
-   System Locale: n/a
+       System Locale: n/a
+
        VC Keymap: n/a
       X11 Layout: n/a
+       X11 Model: n/a
     '''
     locale_ctl_out_empty = ''
     locale_ctl_out_broken = '''