diff --git a/lib/resources/file.rb b/lib/resources/file.rb
index bd46b9ac5..3805ffb2c 100644
--- a/lib/resources/file.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/file.rb
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ module Vulcano::Resources
     end
 
     def contain(pattern, from, to)
-      raise ' not yet implemented '
+      fail ' not yet implemented '
     end
 
     def readable?(by_owner, by_user)
       if by_user.nil?
         m = unix_mode_mask(by_owner, 'r') ||
-            raise("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
+            fail("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
         ( @file.mask & m ) != 0
       else
         # TODO: REMOVE THIS FALLBACK
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ module Vulcano::Resources
     def writable?(by_owner, by_user)
       if by_user.nil?
         m = unix_mode_mask(by_owner, 'w') ||
-            raise("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
+            fail("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
         ( @file.mask & m ) != 0
       else
         # TODO: REMOVE THIS FALLBACK
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module Vulcano::Resources
     def executable?(by_owner, by_user)
       if by_user.nil?
         m = unix_mode_mask(by_owner, 'x') ||
-            raise("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
+            fail("#{by_owner} is not a valid unix owner.")
         ( @file.mask & m ) != 0
       else
         # TODO: REMOVE THIS FALLBACK
diff --git a/lib/utils/parseconfig.rb b/lib/utils/parseconfig.rb
index 70baabc7a..afeee3558 100644
--- a/lib/utils/parseconfig.rb
+++ b/lib/utils/parseconfig.rb
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class ParseConfig
           self.params[param_name].merge!(value)
         elsif self.params.has_key?(param_name)
           if self.params[param_name].class != value.class
-            raise ArgumentError, "#{param_name} already exists, and is of different type!"
+            fail ArgumentError, "#{param_name} already exists, and is of different type!"
           end
         end
       else
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb b/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
index 20b0ab4b5..64f4c8e58 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module Vulcano::Backends
       if self.respond_to?(m.to_sym)
         self.send(m)
       else
-        raise "Cannot configure Specinfra backend #{type}: it isn't supported yet."
+        fail "Cannot configure Specinfra backend #{type}: it isn't supported yet."
       end
     end
 
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ module Vulcano::Backends
       }
 
       if host.empty?
-        raise "You must configure a target host."
+        fail "You must configure a target host."
       end
       unless ssh_opts[:port] > 0
-        raise "Port must be > 0 (not #{ssh_opts[:port]})"
+        fail "Port must be > 0 (not #{ssh_opts[:port]})"
       end
       if ssh_opts[:user].to_s.empty?
-        raise "User must not be empty."
+        fail "User must not be empty."
       end
       unless ssh_opts[:keys].empty?
         ssh_opts[:auth_methods].push('publickey')
@@ -138,13 +138,13 @@ module Vulcano::Backends
 
       # validation
       if host.empty?
-        raise "You must configure a target host."
+        fail 'You must configure a target host.'
       end
       unless port > 0
-        raise "Port must be > 0 (not #{port})"
+        fail 'Port must be > 0 (not #{port})'
       end
       if user.empty?
-        raise "You must configure a WinRM user for login."
+        fail 'You must configure a WinRM user for login.'
       end
       if pass.empty?
         raise "You must configure a WinRM password."
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/plugins/backend.rb b/lib/vulcano/plugins/backend.rb
index 4ff2a0dea..048863431 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/plugins/backend.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/plugins/backend.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module Vulcano::Plugins
       %w{ file run_command os }.each do |m|
         next if obj.public_method_defined?(m.to_sym)
         obj.send(:define_method, m.to_sym) do |*args|
-          raise NotImplementedError.new("Backend must implement the #{m}() method.")
+          fail NotImplementedError.new("Backend must implement the #{m}() method.")
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/resource.rb b/lib/vulcano/resource.rb
index 0399a1804..369d46fba 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/resource.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/resource.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Vulcano
 
   def self.resource(version)
     if version != 1
-      raise "Only resource version 1 is supported!"
+      fail 'Only resource version 1 is supported!'
     end
     Vulcano::Plugins::Resource
   end
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/runner.rb b/lib/vulcano/runner.rb
index d002b466d..b1e2dd4de 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/runner.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/runner.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module Vulcano
 
       # Return on failure
       if backend_class.nil?
-        raise "Can't find command backend '#{backend_name}'."
+        fail "Can't find command backend '#{backend_name}'."
       end
 
       # create the backend based on the config
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/targets/folder.rb b/lib/vulcano/targets/folder.rb
index e27d49c67..4ee427b32 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/targets/folder.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/targets/folder.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module Vulcano::Targets
       # get the dirs helper
       helper = DirsHelper.getHandler(files)
       if helper.nil?
-        raise "Don't know how to handle folder #{target}"
+        fail "Don't know how to handle folder #{target}"
       end
       # get all file contents
       file_handler = Vulcano::Targets.modules['file']
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/targets/zip.rb b/lib/vulcano/targets/zip.rb
index 36b144065..a1955db0d 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/targets/zip.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/targets/zip.rb
@@ -31,13 +31,12 @@ module Vulcano::Targets
       files = structure(path)
       helper = DirsHelper.getHandler(files)
       if helper.nil?
-        raise "Don't know how to handle folder #{path}"
+        fail "Don't know how to handle folder #{path}"
       end
       # get all file contents
       file_handler = Vulcano::Targets.modules['file']
       test_files = helper.get_filenames(files)
       content(path, test_files)
     end
-
   end
 end