diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/comparison/tests/test_templatecomparison.py b/src/spikeinterface/comparison/tests/test_templatecomparison.py
index adffb258d6..f4b3a14f0d 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/comparison/tests/test_templatecomparison.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/comparison/tests/test_templatecomparison.py
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 import numpy as np
 
-from spikeinterface.core import create_sorting_analyzer
-from spikeinterface.extractors import toy_example
+from spikeinterface.core import create_sorting_analyzer, generate_ground_truth_recording
 from spikeinterface.comparison import compare_templates, compare_multiple_templates
 
 
@@ -27,9 +26,7 @@ def test_compare_multiple_templates():
     duration = 60
     num_channels = 8
 
-    rec, sort = toy_example(duration=duration, num_segments=1, num_channels=num_channels)
-    # rec = rec.save(folder=test_dir / "rec")
-    # sort = sort.save(folder=test_dir / "sort")
+    rec, sort = generate_ground_truth_recording(durations=[duration], num_channels=num_channels)
 
     # split recording in 3 equal slices
     fs = rec.get_sampling_frequency()
diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_mdaextractors.py b/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_mdaextractors.py
index 8c8bc0aa8c..6440e575d5 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_mdaextractors.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_mdaextractors.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import pytest
 from pathlib import Path
 from spikeinterface.core.testing import check_recordings_equal, check_sortings_equal
-from spikeinterface.extractors import toy_example, MdaRecordingExtractor, MdaSortingExtractor
+from spikeinterface.core import generate_ground_truth_recording
+from spikeinterface.extractors import MdaRecordingExtractor, MdaSortingExtractor
 
 if hasattr(pytest, "global_test_folder"):
     cache_folder = pytest.global_test_folder / "extractors"
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@
 
 
 def test_mda_extractors():
-    rec, sort = toy_example(num_segments=1, num_units=10)
+    rec, sort = generate_ground_truth_recording(durations=[10.0], num_units=10)
 
     MdaRecordingExtractor.write_recording(rec, cache_folder / "mdatest")
     rec_mda = MdaRecordingExtractor(cache_folder / "mdatest")
diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_shybridextractors.py b/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_shybridextractors.py
index eed64bdbba..a0164fd119 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_shybridextractors.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_shybridextractors.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import pytest
 from pathlib import Path
+from spikeinterface.core import generate_ground_truth_recording
 from spikeinterface.core.testing import check_recordings_equal, check_sortings_equal
-from spikeinterface.extractors import toy_example, SHYBRIDRecordingExtractor, SHYBRIDSortingExtractor
+from spikeinterface.extractors import SHYBRIDRecordingExtractor, SHYBRIDSortingExtractor
 
 if hasattr(pytest, "global_test_folder"):
     cache_folder = pytest.global_test_folder / "extractors"
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(True, reason="SHYBRID only tested locally")
 def test_shybrid_extractors():
-    rec, sort = toy_example(num_segments=1, num_units=10)
+    rec, sort = generate_ground_truth_recording(durations=[10.0], num_units=10)
 
     SHYBRIDSortingExtractor.write_sorting(sort, cache_folder / "shybridtest")
     sort_shybrid = SHYBRIDSortingExtractor(
diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/preprocessing/tests/test_motion.py b/src/spikeinterface/preprocessing/tests/test_motion.py
index 7cea531bb4..ea4611b372 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/preprocessing/tests/test_motion.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/preprocessing/tests/test_motion.py
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@
 
 import shutil
 
+from spikeinterface.core import generate_recording
 
 from spikeinterface.preprocessing import correct_motion, load_motion_info
 
-from spikeinterface.extractors import toy_example
-
 import numpy as np
 
 if hasattr(pytest, "global_test_folder"):
@@ -19,7 +18,8 @@
 
 
 def test_estimate_and_correct_motion():
-    rec, sorting = toy_example(num_segments=1, duration=30.0, num_units=10, num_channels=12)
+    rec = generate_recording(durations=[30.0], num_channels=12)
+
     print(rec)
 
     folder = cache_folder / "estimate_and_correct_motion"
diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/qualitymetrics/tests/test_metrics_functions.py b/src/spikeinterface/qualitymetrics/tests/test_metrics_functions.py
index 79fbab8893..88908d05c5 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/qualitymetrics/tests/test_metrics_functions.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/qualitymetrics/tests/test_metrics_functions.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
     synthesize_random_firings,
 )
 
-# from spikeinterface.extractors.toy_example import toy_example
 from spikeinterface.qualitymetrics.utils import create_ground_truth_pc_distributions
 
 from spikeinterface.qualitymetrics import calculate_pc_metrics