diff --git a/message_ix/tests/test_feature_price_emission.py b/message_ix/tests/test_feature_price_emission.py
index 2100257ed..a8e4a3e11 100644
--- a/message_ix/tests/test_feature_price_emission.py
+++ b/message_ix/tests/test_feature_price_emission.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
+from typing import List
+
 import numpy.testing as npt
 import pytest
 
-from message_ix import Scenario
-
 # from message_ix.testing import make_westeros
-from message_ix.util import make_df
+from message_ix import Scenario, make_df
 
 MODEL = "test_emissions_price"
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 interest_rate = 0.05
 
 
-def model_setup(scen: Scenario, years: list[int], simple_tecs=True) -> None:
+def model_setup(scen: Scenario, years: List[int], simple_tecs=True) -> None:
     """generate a minimal model to test the behaviour of the emission prices"""
     scen.add_spatial_sets({"country": "node"})
     scen.add_set("commodity", "comm")
@@ -48,24 +48,44 @@ def model_setup(scen: Scenario, years: list[int], simple_tecs=True) -> None:
     add_two_tecs(scen, years) if simple_tecs else add_many_tecs(scen, years)
 
 
-def add_two_tecs(scen: Scenario, years: list[int]) -> None:
+def add_two_tecs(scen: Scenario, years: List[int]) -> None:
     """add two technologies to the scenario"""
     scen.add_set("technology", ["dirty_tec", "clean_tec"])
-    output_specs = ["node", "comm", "level", "year", "year"]
 
-    for y in years:
-        # the dirty technology is free (no costs) but has emissions
-        tec_specs = ["node", "dirty_tec", y, y, "mode"]
-        scen.add_par("output", tec_specs + output_specs, 1, "GWa")
-        scen.add_par("emission_factor", tec_specs + ["CO2"], 1, "tCO2")
+    common_base = dict(
+        node_loc="node", year_vtg=years, year_act=years, mode="mode", value=1
+    )
+    common_output = dict(
+        node_dest="node",
+        commodity="comm",
+        level="level",
+        time="year",
+        time_dest="year",
+        unit="GWa",
+    )
 
-        # the clean technology has variable costs but no emissions
-        tec_specs = ["node", "clean_tec", y, y, "mode"]
-        scen.add_par("output", tec_specs + output_specs, 1, "GWa")
-        scen.add_par("var_cost", tec_specs + ["year"], 1, "USD/GWa")
+    # the dirty technology is free (no costs) but has emissions
+    scen.add_par(
+        "output",
+        make_df("output", technology="dirty_tec", **common_base, **common_output),
+    )
+    scen.add_par(
+        "emission_factor",
+        make_df("emission_factor", technology="dirty_tec", emission="CO2", unit="tCO2"),
+    )
+
+    # the clean technology has variable costs but no emissions
+    scen.add_par(
+        "output",
+        make_df("output", technology="clean_tec", **common_base, **common_output),
+    )
+    scen.add_par(
+        "var_cost",
+        make_df("var_cost", technology="clean_tec", time="year", unit="USD/GWa"),
+    )
 
 
-def add_many_tecs(scen: Scenario, years: list[int], n=50) -> None:
+def add_many_tecs(scen: Scenario, years: List[int], n=50) -> None:
     """add a range of dirty-to-clean technologies to the scenario"""
     # Add some hardcoded tecs for temporary testing
     tecs: dict[str, dict] = {
@@ -336,18 +356,20 @@ def test_custom_type_variable_periodlength(test_mp, request):
 cumulative = False
 years = [2020, 2021, 2022, 2023]
 tag = "yearly_" + str(bound) + "_equal"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "bound, cumulative, years, tag",
+    "bound, cumulative, years",
     [
-        (0.25, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.25_equal"),
-        (0.25, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.25_varying"),
-        (0.50, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.5_equal"),
-        (0.50, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.5_varying"),
-        (0.75, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.75_equal"),
-        (0.75, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050], "0.75_varying"),
+        (0.25, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
+        (0.25, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
+        (0.50, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
+        (0.50, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
+        (0.75, True, [2020, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
+        (0.75, True, [2020, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050]),
     ],
 )
-def test_price_duality(test_mp, request, bound, cumulative, years, tag):
+def test_price_duality(test_mp, request, bound, cumulative, years):
     # set up a scenario for cumulative constraints
     scen = Scenario(
         test_mp,
@@ -356,15 +378,26 @@ def test_price_duality(test_mp, request, bound, cumulative, years, tag):
         version="new",
     )
     model_setup(scen, years, simple_tecs=False)
+    bound_emission_base = dict(
+        node="World", type_emission="ghg", type_tec="all", value=bound, unit="tCO2"
+    )
     if cumulative:
         scen.add_cat("year", "cumulative", years)
         scen.add_par(
-            "bound_emission", ["World", "ghg", "all", "cumulative"], bound, "tCO2",
+            "bound_emission",
+            make_df(
+                "bound_emission",
+                type_year="cumulative",
+                **bound_emission_base,
+            ),
         )
     else:
         for y in years:
             scen.add_cat("year", y, y)
-            scen.add_par("bound_emission", ["World", "ghg", "all", y], bound, "tCO2")
+            scen.add_par(
+                "bound_emission",
+                make_df("bound_emission", type_year=y, **bound_emission_base),
+            )
     scen.commit("initialize test scenario")
     scen.solve(quiet=True, **solve_args)