diff --git a/tests/unit/util/io.t.cpp b/tests/unit/util/io.t.cpp
index 052e149..f8595c9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util/io.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/util/io.t.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018 Regents of the University of California.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2019 Regents of the University of California.
  *
  * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
  *
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
   wireEncode() const
   {
     if (shouldThrow) {
-      BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(tlv::Error("encode error"));
+      NDN_THROW(tlv::Error("encode error"));
     }
 
     // block will be 0xAA, 0x01, 0xDD
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
   wireDecode(const Block& block)
   {
     if (m_shouldThrow) {
-      BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(tlv::Error("decode error"));
+      NDN_THROW(tlv::Error("decode error"));
     }
 
     // block must be 0xBB, 0x01, 0xEE
diff --git a/tests/unit/util/scheduler.t.cpp b/tests/unit/util/scheduler.t.cpp
index 49c90b6..d8335c4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util/scheduler.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/util/scheduler.t.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,12 @@
   class MyException : public std::exception
   {
   };
-  scheduler.scheduleEvent(10_ms, [] { BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(MyException()); });
+  scheduler.scheduleEvent(10_ms, [] {
+    // use plain 'throw' to ensure that Scheduler does not depend on the
+    // internal machinery of NDN_THROW and that it can catch all exceptions
+    // regardless of how they are thrown by the application
+    throw MyException{};
+  });
 
   bool isCallbackInvoked = false;
   scheduler.scheduleEvent(20_ms, [&isCallbackInvoked] { isCallbackInvoked = true; });
diff --git a/tests/unit/util/signal.t.cpp b/tests/unit/util/signal.t.cpp
index de22534..f0eb192 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util/signal.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/util/signal.t.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018 Regents of the University of California.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2019 Regents of the University of California.
  *
  * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
  *
@@ -424,14 +424,17 @@
 {
   SignalOwner0 so;
 
-  struct HandlerError : public std::exception
+  class HandlerError : public std::exception
   {
   };
 
   int hit = 0;
   so.sig.connect([&] {
     ++hit;
-    BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(HandlerError());
+    // use plain 'throw' to ensure that Signal does not depend on the internal
+    // machinery of NDN_THROW and that it can catch all exceptions regardless
+    // of how they are thrown by the application
+    throw HandlerError{};
   });
 
   BOOST_CHECK_THROW(so.emitSignal(sig), HandlerError);
diff --git a/tests/unit/util/simple-notification.hpp b/tests/unit/util/simple-notification.hpp
index ac81f5f..431b8c2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util/simple-notification.hpp
+++ b/tests/unit/util/simple-notification.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2018 Regents of the University of California,
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2019 Regents of the University of California,
  *                         Arizona Board of Regents,
  *                         Colorado State University,
  *                         University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 
     // error for testing
     if (!m_message.empty() && m_message[0] == '\x07')
-      BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(tlv::Error("0x07 error"));
+      NDN_THROW(tlv::Error("0x07 error"));
   }
 
   const std::string&
diff --git a/tests/unit/util/time.t.cpp b/tests/unit/util/time.t.cpp
index 6ed55d5..3f5f531 100644
--- a/tests/unit/util/time.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/util/time.t.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018 Regents of the University of California.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2019 Regents of the University of California.
  *
  * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
  *
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "tests/boost-test.hpp"
 
+#include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
 #include <thread>
 
 namespace ndn {
@@ -125,8 +126,10 @@
   auto year2042 = fromIsoString("20420101T000001.042000");
   auto year2010 = fromIsoString("20100101T000001.042000");
 
-  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to_string(year2010), "1262304001042000000 nanoseconds since Jan 1, 1970");
-  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(to_string(year2042), "2272147201042000000 nanoseconds since Jan 1, 1970");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(year2010),
+                    "1262304001042000000 nanoseconds since Jan 1, 1970");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(year2042),
+                    "2272147201042000000 nanoseconds since Jan 1, 1970");
   BOOST_CHECK_GT(year2042, year2010);
 }