diff --git a/scripts/upgrade-tests/test-upgrade-path.sh b/scripts/upgrade-tests/test-upgrade-path.sh
index e4eeeecb4ab..14ffee9acea 100755
--- a/scripts/upgrade-tests/test-upgrade-path.sh
+++ b/scripts/upgrade-tests/test-upgrade-path.sh
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ function initialize_test_list() {
     docker exec ${OLD_CONTAINER} ln -sf /kong/bin/kong /upgrade-test/bin
     docker exec ${OLD_CONTAINER} bash -c "ln -sf /kong/spec/* /upgrade-test/spec"
     docker exec ${OLD_CONTAINER} tar -xf ${TESTS_TAR} -C /upgrade-test
+    docker cp spec/helpers/http_mock ${OLD_CONTAINER}:/upgrade-test/spec/helpers
+    docker cp spec/helpers/http_mock.lua ${OLD_CONTAINER}:/upgrade-test/spec/helpers
     rm ${TESTS_TAR}
 }
 
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ function run_tests() {
 }
 
 function cleanup() {
-    git worktree remove worktree/$OLD_KONG_VERSION
+    git worktree remove worktree/$OLD_KONG_VERSION --force
     $COMPOSE down
 }
 
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/16-queues/01-shutdown_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/16-queues/01-shutdown_spec.lua
index cc487f09439..bc03770a4bc 100644
--- a/spec/02-integration/16-queues/01-shutdown_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/02-integration/16-queues/01-shutdown_spec.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 local helpers    = require "spec.helpers"
-
+local http_mock = require "spec.helpers.http_mock"
 
 local HTTP_SERVER_PORT = helpers.get_available_port()
 
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
     end)
 
     it("queue is flushed before kong exits", function()
+      local mock = http_mock.new(HTTP_SERVER_PORT)
+      mock:start()
+      finally(function()
+        mock:stop()
+      end)
 
       local res = assert(proxy_client:send({
         method = "GET",
@@ -95,10 +100,7 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
       local pid_file, err = helpers.stop_kong(nil, nil, nil, "QUIT", true)
       assert(pid_file, err)
 
-      local thread = helpers.http_server(HTTP_SERVER_PORT, { timeout = 10 })
-      local ok, _, body = thread:join()
-      assert(ok)
-      assert(body)
+      mock.eventually:has_request()
 
       helpers.wait_pid(pid_file)
       helpers.cleanup_kong()
diff --git a/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/04-exporter_spec.lua b/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/04-exporter_spec.lua
index 141be9f89f6..619956ab975 100644
--- a/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/04-exporter_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/04-exporter_spec.lua
@@ -346,7 +346,6 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
 
       lazy_teardown(function()
         helpers.stop_kong()
-        helpers.kill_http_server(HTTP_SERVER_PORT)
       end)
 
       it("send enough spans", function ()
diff --git a/spec/05-migration/plugins/http-log/migrations/001_280_to_300_spec.lua b/spec/05-migration/plugins/http-log/migrations/001_280_to_300_spec.lua
index 4399aef2a45..320b15096fc 100644
--- a/spec/05-migration/plugins/http-log/migrations/001_280_to_300_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/05-migration/plugins/http-log/migrations/001_280_to_300_spec.lua
@@ -1,68 +1,21 @@
 
 local cjson = require "cjson"
-local tablex = require "pl.tablex"
+local http_mock = require "spec.helpers.http_mock"
 
-local uh = require "spec/upgrade_helpers"
+local uh = require "spec.upgrade_helpers"
 
+-- we intentionally use a fixed port as this file may be loaded multiple times
+-- to test the migration process. do not change it to use dynamic port.
 local HTTP_PORT = 29100
 
--- Copied from 3.x helpers.lua
-
-local function http_server(port, opts)
-  local threads = require "llthreads2.ex"
-  opts = opts or {}
-  local thread = threads.new(
-    {
-      function(port, opts)
-        local socket = require "socket"
-        local server = assert(socket.tcp())
-        server:settimeout(opts.timeout or 60)
-        assert(server:setoption('reuseaddr', true))
-        assert(server:bind("*", port))
-        assert(server:listen())
-        local client = assert(server:accept())
-
-        local lines = {}
-        local line, err
-        repeat
-          line, err = client:receive("*l")
-          if err then
-            break
-          else
-            table.insert(lines, line)
-          end
-        until line == ""
-
-        if #lines > 0 and lines[1] == "GET /delay HTTP/1.0" then
-          ngx.sleep(2)
-        end
-
-        if err then
-          server:close()
-          error(err)
-        end
-
-        local body, _ = client:receive("*a")
-
-        client:send("HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n")
-        client:close()
-        server:close()
-
-        return lines, body
-      end
-    },
-    port, opts)
-  return thread:start()
-end
-
 describe("http-log plugin migration", function()
-
+    local mock
     lazy_setup(function()
       assert(uh.start_kong())
     end)
 
     lazy_teardown(function ()
-      assert(uh.stop_kong())
+      assert(uh.stop_kong(nil, true))
     end)
 
     local log_server_url = "http://localhost:" .. HTTP_PORT .. "/"
@@ -92,17 +45,26 @@ describe("http-log plugin migration", function()
         uh.create_example_service()
     end)
 
-    uh.all_phases("expected log header is added", function ()
-        local thread = http_server(HTTP_PORT, { timeout = 10 })
+    before_each(function ()
+        mock = http_mock.new(HTTP_PORT)
+        mock:start()
+    end)
 
-        uh.send_proxy_get_request()
+    after_each(function ()
+        mock:stop(true)
+    end)
 
-        local ok, headers = thread:join()
-        assert.truthy(ok)
+    uh.all_phases("expected log header is added", function ()
+        uh.send_proxy_get_request()
 
-        -- verify that the log HTTP request had the configured header
-        local idx = tablex.find(headers, custom_header_name .. ": " .. custom_header_content)
-        assert.not_nil(idx, headers)
+        mock.eventually:has_request_satisfy(function(request)
+            local headers = request.headers
+            assert.not_nil(headers, "headers do not exist")
+            -- verify that the log HTTP request had the configured header
+            -- somehow ngx.req.get_headers() wants to return a table for a single value header
+            -- I don't know why but it's not relevant to this test
+            assert(custom_header_content == headers[custom_header_name] or custom_header_content == headers[custom_header_name][1])
+        end)
     end)
 
     uh.new_after_finish("has updated http-log configuration", function ()
diff --git a/spec/helpers.lua b/spec/helpers.lua
index 281a9e4ea60..08a93959d53 100644
--- a/spec/helpers.lua
+++ b/spec/helpers.lua
@@ -1301,75 +1301,6 @@ local function kill_tcp_server(port)
 end
 
 
---- Starts a local HTTP server.
---
--- **DEPRECATED**: please use `spec.helpers.http_mock` instead. `http_server` has very poor
--- support to anything other then a single shot simple request.
---
--- Accepts a single connection and then closes. Sends a 200 ok, 'Connection:
--- close' response.
--- If the request received has path `/delay` then the response will be delayed
--- by 2 seconds.
--- @function http_server
--- @tparam number port The port the server will be listening on
--- @tparam[opt] table opts options defining the server's behavior with the following fields:
--- @tparam[opt=60] number opts.timeout time (in seconds) after which the server exits
--- @return A thread object (from the `llthreads2` Lua package)
--- @see kill_http_server
-local function http_server(port, opts)
-  print(debug.traceback("[warning] http_server is deprecated, " ..
-                        "use helpers.start_kong's fixture parameter " ..
-                        "or helpers.http_mock instead.", 2))
-  local threads = require "llthreads2.ex"
-  opts = opts or {}
-  if TEST_COVERAGE_MODE == "true" then
-    opts.timeout = TEST_COVERAGE_TIMEOUT
-  end
-  local thread = threads.new({
-    function(port, opts)
-      local socket = require "socket"
-      local server = assert(socket.tcp())
-      server:settimeout(opts.timeout or 60)
-      assert(server:setoption('reuseaddr', true))
-      assert(server:bind("*", port))
-      assert(server:listen())
-      local client = assert(server:accept())
-
-      local content_length
-      local lines = {}
-      local line, err
-      repeat
-        line, err = client:receive("*l")
-        if err then
-          break
-        end
-        table.insert(lines, line)
-        content_length = tonumber(line:lower():match("^content%-length:%s*(%d+)$")) or content_length
-      until line == ""
-
-      if #lines > 0 and lines[1] == "GET /delay HTTP/1.0" then
-        ngx.sleep(2)
-      end
-
-      if err then
-        server:close()
-        error(err)
-      end
-
-      local body, _ = client:receive(content_length or "*a")
-
-      client:send("HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n")
-      client:close()
-      server:close()
-
-      return lines, body
-    end
-  }, port, opts)
-
-  return thread:start()
-end
-
-
 local code_status = {
   [200] = "OK",
   [201] = "Created",
@@ -1553,17 +1484,6 @@ local function http_mock(port, opts)
 end
 
 
---- Stops a local HTTP server.
--- A server previously created with `http_server` can be stopped prematurely by
--- calling this function.
--- @function kill_http_server
--- @param port the port the HTTP server is listening on.
--- @see http_server
-local function kill_http_server(port)
-  os.execute("fuser -n tcp -k " .. port)
-end
-
-
 --- Starts a local UDP server.
 -- Reads the specified number of packets and then closes.
 -- The server-thread return values depend on `n`:
@@ -3931,9 +3851,7 @@ end
   tcp_server = tcp_server,
   udp_server = udp_server,
   kill_tcp_server = kill_tcp_server,
-  http_server = http_server,
   http_mock = http_mock,
-  kill_http_server = kill_http_server,
   get_proxy_ip = get_proxy_ip,
   get_proxy_port = get_proxy_port,
   proxy_client = proxy_client,
diff --git a/spec/helpers/http_mock/asserts.lua b/spec/helpers/http_mock/asserts.lua
index a7a88b4c5b9..87836692ebd 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/http_mock/asserts.lua
+++ b/spec/helpers/http_mock/asserts.lua
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ local function eventually_has(check, mock, ...)
     time = time + step_time
   end
 
-  error(err or "assertion fail", 2)
+  error(err or "assertion fail. No request is sent and recorded.", 2)
 end
 
 -- wait until timeout to check if the assertion is true for all logs
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ function build_in_checks.request_satisfy(session, f)
   return f(session.req) or "request satisfy"
 end
 
+function build_in_checks.request()
+  return "request exist"
+end
+
 function build_in_checks.response_satisfy(session, f)
   return f(session.resp) or "response satisfy"
 end