diff --git a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/system/test_bigquery.py b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/system/test_bigquery.py
index e870a9535ade..17946827a3e8 100644
--- a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/system/test_bigquery.py
+++ b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/system/test_bigquery.py
@@ -15,18 +15,17 @@
 """System tests for Jupyter/IPython connector."""
 
 import re
+from unittest import mock
 
+import google.cloud.bigquery
+import pandas
 from IPython.testing import globalipapp
 from IPython.utils import io
-import pandas
-import psutil
 
 
 def test_bigquery_magic():
     globalipapp.start_ipython()
     ip = globalipapp.get_ipython()
-    current_process = psutil.Process()
-    conn_count_start = len(current_process.net_connections())
 
     ip.extension_manager.load_extension("bigquery_magics")
     sql = """
@@ -40,10 +39,17 @@ def test_bigquery_magic():
         ORDER BY view_count DESC
         LIMIT 10
     """
-    with io.capture_output() as captured:
-        result = ip.run_cell_magic("bigquery", "--use_rest_api", sql)
-
-    conn_count_end = len(current_process.net_connections())
+    with mock.patch.object(
+        google.cloud.bigquery.Client,
+        "close",
+        autospec=True,
+        side_effect=google.cloud.bigquery.Client.close,
+    ) as mock_close:
+        with io.capture_output() as captured:
+            result = ip.run_cell_magic("bigquery", "--use_rest_api", sql)
+
+        # Verify that client close is explicitly called to release sockets.
+        mock_close.assert_called_once()
 
     lines = re.split("\n|\r", captured.stdout)
     # Removes blanks & terminal code (result of display clearing)
@@ -53,8 +59,3 @@ def test_bigquery_magic():
     assert isinstance(result, pandas.DataFrame)
     assert len(result) == 10  # verify row count
     assert list(result) == ["url", "view_count"]  # verify column names
-
-    # NOTE: For some reason, the number of open sockets is sometimes one *less*
-    # than expected when running system tests on Kokoro, thus using the <= assertion.
-    # That's still fine, however, since the sockets are apparently not leaked.
-    assert conn_count_end <= conn_count_start  # system resources are released
diff --git a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_bigquery.py b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_bigquery.py
index 3be93afdb721..55dd8de50119 100644
--- a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_bigquery.py
+++ b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_bigquery.py
@@ -2974,7 +2974,7 @@ def test_bigquery_magic_query_variable_not_identifier():
     # considered a table name, thus we expect an error that the table ID is not valid.
     output = captured_io.stderr
     assert "ERROR:" in output
-    assert "must be a fully-qualified ID" in output
+    assert "table_id" in output
 
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("mock_credentials")
diff --git a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_deprecation.py b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_deprecation.py
index f8fd25b7b625..deca89943ebc 100644
--- a/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_deprecation.py
+++ b/packages/bigquery-magics/tests/unit/bigquery/test_deprecation.py
@@ -54,13 +54,10 @@ def test_query_with_bigframes_warning(mock_ipython):
 def test_cell_magic_engine_bigframes_warning(mock_ipython):
     from unittest import mock
 
-    from IPython.testing.globalipapp import get_ipython
+    from IPython.testing.globalipapp import get_ipython, start_ipython
 
+    start_ipython()
     ip = get_ipython()
-    if ip is None:
-        from IPython.testing.globalipapp import start_ipython
-
-        ip = start_ipython()
 
     ip.extension_manager.load_extension("bigquery_magics")