diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/nc_load_rules/actions/__init__.py b/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/nc_load_rules/actions/__init__.py
index 7bcb451d951..7696c8e0602 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/nc_load_rules/actions/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/nc_load_rules/actions/__init__.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import iris.fileformats._nc_load_rules.engine
 from iris.fileformats.cf import CFReader
 import iris.fileformats.netcdf
-from iris.fileformats.netcdf import _load_cube
+from iris.fileformats.netcdf.loader import _load_cube
 from iris.tests.stock.netcdf import ncgen_from_cdl
 
 """
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ def load_cube_from_cdl(self, cdl_string, cdl_path, nc_path):
         # Grab a data variable : FOR NOW always grab the 'phenom' variable.
         cf_var = cf.cf_group.data_variables["phenom"]
 
-        engine = iris.fileformats.netcdf._actions_engine()
+        engine = iris.fileformats.netcdf.loader._actions_engine()
 
         # If debug enabled, switch on the activation summary debug output.
         # Use 'patch' so it is restored after the test.
-        self.patch("iris.fileformats.netcdf.DEBUG", self.debug)
+        self.patch("iris.fileformats.netcdf.loader.DEBUG", self.debug)
 
         with warnings.catch_warnings():
             warnings.filterwarnings(
diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/netcdf/test_Saver.py b/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/netcdf/test_Saver.py
index 61b37fe4778..a942680c816 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/netcdf/test_Saver.py
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/unit/fileformats/netcdf/test_Saver.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def test_big_endian(self):
 
     def test_zlib(self):
         cube = self._simple_cube(">f4")
-        api = self.patch("iris.fileformats.netcdf.netCDF4")
+        api = self.patch("iris.fileformats.netcdf.saver.netCDF4")
         # Define mocked default fill values to prevent deprecation warning (#4374).
         api.default_fillvals = collections.defaultdict(lambda: -99.0)
         with Saver("/dummy/path", "NETCDF4") as saver: