diff --git a/test/prior_test.py b/test/prior_test.py
index c1a9c9fc1df745a2449d80d06c16b0e4abe77d31..5d78d919bcff173cb077387006c4fd644c76d309 100644
--- a/test/prior_test.py
+++ b/test/prior_test.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import os
 import shutil
 from collections import OrderedDict
 
+
 class TestPriorInstantiationWithoutOptionalPriors(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -301,10 +302,10 @@ class TestPriorDict(unittest.TestCase):
         self.first_prior = bilby.core.prior.Uniform(name='a', minimum=0, maximum=1, unit='kg')
         self.second_prior = bilby.core.prior.PowerLaw(name='b', alpha=3, minimum=1, maximum=2, unit='m/s')
         self.third_prior = bilby.core.prior.DeltaFunction(name='c', peak=42, unit='m')
-        self.prior_dict = dict(mass=self.first_prior,
-                               speed=self.second_prior,
-                               length=self.third_prior)
-        self.prior_set_from_dict = bilby.core.prior.PriorDict(dictionary=self.prior_dict)
+        self.priors = dict(mass=self.first_prior,
+                           speed=self.second_prior,
+                           length=self.third_prior)
+        self.prior_set_from_dict = bilby.core.prior.PriorDict(dictionary=self.priors)
         self.default_prior_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)),
                                                'prior_files/binary_black_holes.prior')
         self.prior_set_from_file = bilby.core.prior.PriorDict(filename=self.default_prior_file)
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ class TestPriorDict(unittest.TestCase):
         del self.first_prior
         del self.second_prior
         del self.third_prior
-        del self.prior_dict
+        del self.priors
         del self.prior_set_from_dict
         del self.default_prior_file
         del self.prior_set_from_file
@@ -325,26 +326,7 @@ class TestPriorDict(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(3, len(self.prior_set_from_dict))
 
     def test_prior_set_has_expected_priors(self):
-        self.assertDictEqual(self.prior_dict, dict(self.prior_set_from_dict))
-
-    # Removed for now as it does not create the outdir in the Gitlab CI
-    # def test_write_to_file(self):
-    #     outdir = 'prior_set_test_outdir'
-    #     label = 'test_label'
-    #     label_dot_prior = label + '.prior'
-    #     current_dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-    #     outdir_path = os.path.join(current_dir_path, outdir)
-    #     outfile_path = os.path.join(outdir_path, label_dot_prior)
-    #     self.prior_set_from_dict.write_to_file(outdir=outdir, label=label)
-    #     self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(outdir_path))
-    #     self.assertTrue(os.listdir(outdir_path)[0] == label_dot_prior)
-    #     with open(outfile_path, 'r') as f:
-    #         expected_outfile = [
-    #             'speed = PowerLaw(alpha=3, minimum=1, maximum=2, name=\'b\', latex_label=\'b\', unit=\'m/s\')\n',
-    #             'mass = Uniform(minimum=0, maximum=1, name=\'a\', latex_label=\'a\', unit=\'kg\')\n',
-    #             'length = DeltaFunction(peak=42, name=\'c\', latex_label=\'c\', unit=\'m\')\n']
-    #         self.assertListEqual(sorted(expected_outfile), sorted(f.readlines()))
-    #     shutil.rmtree(outdir_path)
+        self.assertDictEqual(self.priors, dict(self.prior_set_from_dict))
 
     def test_read_from_file(self):
         expected = dict(
@@ -373,6 +355,21 @@ class TestPriorDict(unittest.TestCase):
             )
         self.assertDictEqual(expected, self.prior_set_from_file)
 
+    def test_to_file(self):
+        expected = ["length = DeltaFunction(peak=42, name='c', latex_label='c', unit='m')\n",
+                    "speed = PowerLaw(alpha=3, minimum=1, maximum=2, name='b', latex_label='b', unit='m/s')\n",
+                    "mass = Uniform(minimum=0, maximum=1, name='a', latex_label='a', unit='kg')\n"]
+        self.prior_set_from_dict.to_file(outdir='prior_files', label='to_file_test')
+        with open('prior_files/to_file_test.prior') as f:
+            for i, line in enumerate(f.readlines()):
+                self.assertTrue(line in expected)
+
+    def test_from_dict_with_string(self):
+        string_prior = "bilby.core.prior.PowerLaw(name='b', alpha=3, minimum=1, maximum=2, unit='m/s')"
+        self.priors['speed'] = string_prior
+        from_dict = bilby.core.prior.PriorDict(dictionary=self.priors)
+        self.assertDictEqual(self.prior_set_from_dict, from_dict)
+
     def test_convert_floats_to_delta_functions(self):
         self.prior_set_from_dict['d'] = 5
         self.prior_set_from_dict['e'] = 7.3