diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr.h b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr.h
index b703714e7d98..9a69d473ffdf 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr.h
@@ -64,48 +64,30 @@ inline void set_dscr_usr(unsigned long val)
 /* Default DSCR access */
 unsigned long get_default_dscr(void)
 {
-	int fd = -1, ret;
-	char buf[16];
+	int err;
+	char buf[16] = {0};
 	unsigned long val;
 
-	if (fd == -1) {
-		fd = open(DSCR_DEFAULT, O_RDONLY);
-		if (fd == -1) {
-			perror("open() failed");
-			exit(1);
-		}
-	}
-	memset(buf, 0, sizeof(buf));
-	lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
-	ret = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-	if (ret == -1) {
-		perror("read() failed");
+	if ((err = read_file(DSCR_DEFAULT, buf, sizeof(buf) - 1, NULL))) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "get_default_dscr() read failed: %s\n", strerror(err));
 		exit(1);
 	}
+
 	sscanf(buf, "%lx", &val);
-	close(fd);
 	return val;
 }
 
 void set_default_dscr(unsigned long val)
 {
-	int fd = -1, ret;
+	int err;
 	char buf[16];
 
-	if (fd == -1) {
-		fd = open(DSCR_DEFAULT, O_RDWR);
-		if (fd == -1) {
-			perror("open() failed");
-			exit(1);
-		}
-	}
 	sprintf(buf, "%lx\n", val);
-	ret = write(fd, buf, strlen(buf));
-	if (ret == -1) {
-		perror("write() failed");
+
+	if ((err = write_file(DSCR_DEFAULT, buf, strlen(buf)))) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "set_default_dscr() write failed: %s\n", strerror(err));
 		exit(1);
 	}
-	close(fd);
 }
 
 double uniform_deviate(int seed)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr_sysfs_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr_sysfs_test.c
index fbbdffdb2e5d..310946262a24 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr_sysfs_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/dscr/dscr_sysfs_test.c
@@ -12,23 +12,12 @@
 
 static int check_cpu_dscr_default(char *file, unsigned long val)
 {
-	char buf[10];
-	int fd, rc;
+	char buf[10] = {0};
+	int rc;
 
-	fd = open(file, O_RDWR);
-	if (fd == -1) {
-		perror("open() failed");
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	rc = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-	if (rc == -1) {
-		perror("read() failed");
-		return 1;
-	}
-	close(fd);
+	if ((rc = read_file(file, buf, sizeof(buf) - 1, NULL)))
+		return rc;
 
-	buf[rc] = '\0';
 	if (strtol(buf, NULL, 16) != val) {
 		printf("DSCR match failed: %ld (system) %ld (cpu)\n",
 					val, strtol(buf, NULL, 16));
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/include/utils.h b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/include/utils.h
index e222a5858450..70885e5814a8 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/include/utils.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/include/utils.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ void *get_auxv_entry(int type);
 
 int pick_online_cpu(void);
 
+int read_file(const char *path, char *buf, size_t count, size_t *len);
+int write_file(const char *path, const char *buf, size_t count);
 int read_debugfs_file(char *debugfs_file, int *result);
 int write_debugfs_file(char *debugfs_file, int result);
 int read_sysfs_file(char *debugfs_file, char *result, size_t result_size);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/nx-gzip/gzfht_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/nx-gzip/gzfht_test.c
index 095195a25687..a6a226e1b8ba 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/nx-gzip/gzfht_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/nx-gzip/gzfht_test.c
@@ -146,49 +146,36 @@ int gzip_header_blank(char *buf)
 /* Caller must free the allocated buffer return nonzero on error. */
 int read_alloc_input_file(char *fname, char **buf, size_t *bufsize)
 {
+	int err;
 	struct stat statbuf;
-	FILE *fp;
 	char *p;
 	size_t num_bytes;
 
 	if (stat(fname, &statbuf)) {
 		perror(fname);
-		return(-1);
-	}
-	fp = fopen(fname, "r");
-	if (fp == NULL) {
-		perror(fname);
-		return(-1);
+		return -1;
 	}
+
 	assert(NULL != (p = (char *) malloc(statbuf.st_size)));
-	num_bytes = fread(p, 1, statbuf.st_size, fp);
-	if (ferror(fp) || (num_bytes != statbuf.st_size)) {
-		perror(fname);
-		return(-1);
+
+	if ((err = read_file(fname, p, statbuf.st_size, &num_bytes))) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read file: %s\n", strerror(err));
+		goto fail;
 	}
+
+	if (num_bytes != statbuf.st_size) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Actual bytes != expected bytes\n");
+		err = -1;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
 	*buf = p;
 	*bufsize = num_bytes;
 	return 0;
-}
 
-/* Returns nonzero on error */
-int write_output_file(char *fname, char *buf, size_t bufsize)
-{
-	FILE *fp;
-	size_t num_bytes;
-
-	fp = fopen(fname, "w");
-	if (fp == NULL) {
-		perror(fname);
-		return(-1);
-	}
-	num_bytes = fwrite(buf, 1, bufsize, fp);
-	if (ferror(fp) || (num_bytes != bufsize)) {
-		perror(fname);
-		return(-1);
-	}
-	fclose(fp);
-	return 0;
+fail:
+	free(p);
+	return err;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -399,7 +386,7 @@ int compress_file(int argc, char **argv, void *handle)
 	assert(FNAME_MAX > (strlen(argv[1]) + strlen(FEXT)));
 	strcpy(outname, argv[1]);
 	strcat(outname, FEXT);
-	if (write_output_file(outname, outbuf, dsttotlen)) {
+	if (write_file(outname, outbuf, dsttotlen)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "write error: %s\n", outname);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/pmu/lib.c b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/pmu/lib.c
index 88690b97b7b9..e8960e7a1271 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/pmu/lib.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/pmu/lib.c
@@ -190,38 +190,21 @@ int parse_proc_maps(void)
 
 bool require_paranoia_below(int level)
 {
+	int err;
 	long current;
 	char *end, buf[16];
-	FILE *f;
-	bool rc;
-
-	rc = false;
-
-	f = fopen(PARANOID_PATH, "r");
-	if (!f) {
-		perror("fopen");
-		goto out;
-	}
 
-	if (!fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f)) {
+	if ((err = read_file(PARANOID_PATH, buf, sizeof(buf), NULL))) {
 		printf("Couldn't read " PARANOID_PATH "?\n");
-		goto out_close;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	current = strtol(buf, &end, 10);
 
 	if (end == buf) {
 		printf("Couldn't parse " PARANOID_PATH "?\n");
-		goto out_close;
+		return false;
 	}
 
-	if (current >= level)
-		goto out_close;
-
-	rc = true;
-out_close:
-	fclose(f);
-out:
-	return rc;
+	return current < level;
 }
-
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/ptrace/core-pkey.c b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/ptrace/core-pkey.c
index 5c82ed9e7c65..46e0695ed8b0 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/ptrace/core-pkey.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/ptrace/core-pkey.c
@@ -348,16 +348,11 @@ static int parent(struct shared_info *info, pid_t pid)
 
 static int write_core_pattern(const char *core_pattern)
 {
-	size_t len = strlen(core_pattern), ret;
-	FILE *f;
+	int err;
 
-	f = fopen(core_pattern_file, "w");
-	SKIP_IF_MSG(!f, "Try with root privileges");
-
-	ret = fwrite(core_pattern, 1, len, f);
-	fclose(f);
-	if (ret != len) {
-		perror("Error writing to core_pattern file");
+	if ((err = write_file(core_pattern_file, core_pattern, strlen(core_pattern)))) {
+		SKIP_IF_MSG(err == -EPERM, "Try with root privileges");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error writing core_pattern file: %s\n", strerror(err));
 		return TEST_FAIL;
 	}
 
@@ -366,8 +361,8 @@ static int write_core_pattern(const char *core_pattern)
 
 static int setup_core_pattern(char **core_pattern_, bool *changed_)
 {
-	FILE *f;
 	char *core_pattern;
+	size_t len;
 	int ret;
 
 	core_pattern = malloc(PATH_MAX);
@@ -376,22 +371,13 @@ static int setup_core_pattern(char **core_pattern_, bool *changed_)
 		return TEST_FAIL;
 	}
 
-	f = fopen(core_pattern_file, "r");
-	if (!f) {
-		perror("Error opening core_pattern file");
-		ret = TEST_FAIL;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	ret = fread(core_pattern, 1, PATH_MAX - 1, f);
-	fclose(f);
-	if (!ret) {
-		perror("Error reading core_pattern file");
+	if ((ret = read_file(core_pattern_file, core_pattern, PATH_MAX - 1, &len))) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error reading core_pattern file: %s\n", strerror(ret));
 		ret = TEST_FAIL;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	core_pattern[ret] = '\0';
+	core_pattern[len] = '\0';
 
 	/* Check whether we can predict the name of the core file. */
 	if (!strcmp(core_pattern, "core") || !strcmp(core_pattern, "core.%p"))
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/utils.c b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/utils.c
index 1f36ee1a909a..861b1f7aa95f 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/utils.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/powerpc/utils.c
@@ -26,34 +26,73 @@
 
 static char auxv[4096];
 
-int read_auxv(char *buf, ssize_t buf_size)
+int read_file(const char *path, char *buf, size_t count, size_t *len)
 {
-	ssize_t num;
-	int rc, fd;
+	ssize_t rc;
+	int fd;
+	int err;
+	char eof;
+
+	if ((fd = open(path, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
+		return errno;
 
-	fd = open("/proc/self/auxv", O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd == -1) {
-		perror("open");
-		return -errno;
+	if ((rc = read(fd, buf, count)) < 0) {
+		err = errno;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
-	num = read(fd, buf, buf_size);
-	if (num < 0) {
-		perror("read");
-		rc = -EIO;
+	if (len)
+		*len = rc;
+
+	/* Overflow if there are still more bytes after filling the buffer */
+	if (rc == count && (rc = read(fd, &eof, 1)) != 0) {
+		err = EOVERFLOW;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (num > buf_size) {
-		printf("overflowed auxv buffer\n");
-		rc = -EOVERFLOW;
+	err = 0;
+
+out:
+	close(fd);
+	return err;
+}
+
+int write_file(const char *path, const char *buf, size_t count)
+{
+	int fd;
+	int err;
+	ssize_t rc;
+
+	if ((fd = open(path, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0644)) < 0)
+		return errno;
+
+	if ((rc = write(fd, buf, count)) < 0) {
+		err = errno;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	rc = 0;
+	if (rc != count) {
+		err = EOVERFLOW;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	err = 0;
+
 out:
 	close(fd);
-	return rc;
+	return err;
+}
+
+int read_auxv(char *buf, ssize_t buf_size)
+{
+	int err;
+
+	if ((err = read_file("/proc/self/auxv", buf, buf_size, NULL))) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error reading auxv: %s\n", strerror(err));
+		return err;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void *find_auxv_entry(int type, char *auxv)
@@ -142,65 +181,40 @@ bool is_ppc64le(void)
 int read_sysfs_file(char *fpath, char *result, size_t result_size)
 {
 	char path[PATH_MAX] = "/sys/";
-	int rc = -1, fd;
 
 	strncat(path, fpath, PATH_MAX - strlen(path) - 1);
 
-	if ((fd = open(path, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
-		return rc;
-
-	rc = read(fd, result, result_size);
-
-	close(fd);
-
-	if (rc < 0)
-		return rc;
-
-	return 0;
+	return read_file(path, result, result_size, NULL);
 }
 
 int read_debugfs_file(char *debugfs_file, int *result)
 {
-	int rc = -1, fd;
+	int err;
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
-	char value[16];
+	char value[16] = {0};
 
 	strcpy(path, "/sys/kernel/debug/");
 	strncat(path, debugfs_file, PATH_MAX - strlen(path) - 1);
 
-	if ((fd = open(path, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
-		return rc;
-
-	if ((rc = read(fd, value, sizeof(value))) < 0)
-		return rc;
+	if ((err = read_file(path, value, sizeof(value) - 1, NULL)))
+		return err;
 
-	value[15] = 0;
 	*result = atoi(value);
-	close(fd);
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
 int write_debugfs_file(char *debugfs_file, int result)
 {
-	int rc = -1, fd;
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	char value[16];
 
 	strcpy(path, "/sys/kernel/debug/");
 	strncat(path, debugfs_file, PATH_MAX - strlen(path) - 1);
 
-	if ((fd = open(path, O_WRONLY)) < 0)
-		return rc;
-
 	snprintf(value, 16, "%d", result);
 
-	if ((rc = write(fd, value, strlen(value))) < 0)
-		return rc;
-
-	close(fd);
-
-	return 0;
+	return write_file(path, value, strlen(value));
 }
 
 static long perf_event_open(struct perf_event_attr *hw_event, pid_t pid,
