diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.lua
index de9c7515..83fbcc2f 100644
--- a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/add.lua
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ local w = generic_before_after(wibox.layout.grid, {
     forced_num_cols = 3,
     forced_num_rows = 2,
     homogeneous     = true,
-}, 6, "add_widget_at", {wibox.widget( --DOC_HIDE
+}, 6, "add_widget_at", {--DOC_HIDE
     generic_widget("__new__",beautiful.bg_highlight) --DOC_HIDE
-    ), 1, 4, 1, 1 --DOC_HIDE
+    , 1, 4, 1, 1 --DOC_HIDE
 }) --DOC_HIDE
 
 return w, w:fit({dpi=96}, 9999, 9999) --DOC_HIDE
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/imperative.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/imperative.lua
index b76bfd7e..d1fa1f95 100644
--- a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/imperative.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/imperative.lua
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 local generic_widget = ... --DOC_NO_USAGE --DOC_HIDE
 local wibox     = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
 
-local first  = wibox.widget(generic_widget( "first"  )) --DOC_HIDE
-local second = wibox.widget(generic_widget( "second" )) --DOC_HIDE
-local third  = wibox.widget(generic_widget( "t\nh\ni\nr\nd"  )) --DOC_HIDE
-local fourth = wibox.widget(generic_widget( "fourth" )) --DOC_HIDE
-local fifth  = wibox.widget(generic_widget( "fifth"  )) --DOC_HIDE
-local lorem  = wibox.widget(generic_widget("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur " ..   --DOC_HIDE
-    "adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua."))  --DOC_HIDE
+local first  = generic_widget( "first"  ) --DOC_HIDE
+local second = generic_widget( "second" ) --DOC_HIDE
+local third  = generic_widget( "t\nh\ni\nr\nd"  ) --DOC_HIDE
+local fourth = generic_widget( "fourth" ) --DOC_HIDE
+local fifth  = generic_widget( "fifth"  ) --DOC_HIDE
+local lorem  = generic_widget("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur " ..   --DOC_HIDE
+    "adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.")  --DOC_HIDE
 
     local l = wibox.widget {
         homogeneous   = true,
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/superpose.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/superpose.lua
index 0800aef8..bd9cd0f1 100644
--- a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/superpose.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/grid/superpose.lua
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ local w = wibox.widget {
     homogeneous     = true,
     layout          = wibox.layout.grid,
 }
-w:add_widget_at(wibox.widget(
+w:add_widget_at(
     generic_widget("fifth",beautiful.bg_highlight)
-    ), 1, 1, 1, 2)
+    , 1, 1, 1, 2)
 
 return w, w:fit({dpi=96}, 9999, 9999)
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/template.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/template.lua
index 1fbdc322..b414e386 100644
--- a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/template.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/template.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ local unpack    = unpack or table.unpack -- luacheck: globals unpack (compatibil
 
 -- Create a generic rectangle widget to show layout disposition
 local function generic_widget(text, col)
-    return {
+    return wibox.widget {
         {
             {
                 draw = function(_, _, cr, width, height)
@@ -21,15 +21,20 @@ local function generic_widget(text, col)
                 end,
                 widget = wibox.widget.base.make_widget
             },
-            text and {
+            {
+                id     = "text",
                 align  = "center",
                 valign = "center",
-                text   = text,
+                text   = text or "foobar",
                 widget = wibox.widget.textbox
             } or nil,
             widget = wibox.layout.stack
         },
         margins = 5,
+        set_text = function(self, text2)
+            self:get_children_by_id("text")[1]:set_text(text2)
+        end,
+        is_widget = true,
         widget  = wibox.container.margin,
     }
 end
@@ -61,7 +66,7 @@ local function generic_before_after(layout, layout_args, count, method, method_a
 
         local l = wibox.layout(args)
         for j=1, count or 3 do
-            l:add(wibox.widget(generic_widget(names[j] or "N/A")))
+            l:add(generic_widget(names[j] or "N/A"))
         end
 
         ls[i] = l