diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index 2835228f20..c5e1fe39d1 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ The CLI itself remains compatible, if you run PMD via command-line, no action is
   {% jdoc core::PMDConfiguration#setRuleSets(java.util.List) %},
   {% jdoc core::PMDConfiguration#addRuleSet(java.lang.String) %},
   and {% jdoc core::PMDConfiguration#getRuleSetPaths() %}.
+* Several members of {% jdoc test::cli.BaseCLITest %} have been deprecated with replacements.
 
 #### Experimental APIs
 
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
index 08b7641f5e..78152be9e5 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package net.sourceforge.pmd.cli;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD.StatusCode;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMDVersion;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageRegistry;
@@ -26,13 +27,39 @@ import com.beust.jcommander.ParameterException;
 @InternalApi
 public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
 
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String PROG_NAME = "pmd";
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated This is used for testing, but support for it will be removed in PMD 7.
+     * Use {@link PMD#runPmd(String...)} or an overload to avoid exiting the VM. In PMD 7,
+     * {@link PMD#main(String[])} will call {@link System#exit(int)} always.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String NO_EXIT_AFTER_RUN = "net.sourceforge.pmd.cli.noExit";
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated This is used for testing, but support for it will be removed in PMD 7.
+     * Use {@link PMD#runPmd(String...)} or an overload to avoid exiting the VM. In PMD 7,
+     * {@link PMD#main(String[])} will call {@link System#exit(int)} always.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String STATUS_CODE_PROPERTY = "net.sourceforge.pmd.cli.status";
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link StatusCode#OK}
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final int NO_ERRORS_STATUS = 0;
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link StatusCode#ERROR}
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final int ERROR_STATUS = 1;
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link StatusCode#VIOLATIONS_FOUND}
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final int VIOLATIONS_FOUND = 4;
 
     private PMDCommandLineInterface() { }
@@ -124,7 +151,10 @@ public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
      * For testing purpose only...
      *
      * @param args
+     *
+     * @deprecated Use {@link PMD#runPmd(String...)}
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static void main(String[] args) {
         System.out.println(PMDCommandLineInterface.buildUsageText());
     }
@@ -159,13 +189,14 @@ public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
     }
 
     /**
-     * @deprecated Use {@link PMD#main(String[])}
+     * @deprecated Use {@link PMD#runPmd(String...)}
      */
     @Deprecated
     public static void run(String[] args) {
         setStatusCodeOrExit(PMD.run(args));
     }
 
+    @Deprecated
     public static void setStatusCodeOrExit(int status) {
         if (isExitAfterRunSet()) {
             System.exit(status);
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/CLITest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/CLITest.java
index 601542675a..3ddaa56643 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/CLITest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/CLITest.java
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.containsString;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD.StatusCode;
+
 /**
  * @author Romain Pelisse <belaran@gmail.com>
  *
@@ -51,21 +53,21 @@ public class CLITest extends BaseCLITest {
     @Test
     public void exitStatusWithViolations() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/errorprone.xml", };
-        String log = runTest(4, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.VIOLATIONS_FOUND, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("Avoid empty if"));
     }
 
     @Test
     public void exitStatusWithViolationsAndWithoutFailOnViolations() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/errorprone.xml", "-failOnViolation", "false", };
-        String log = runTest(0, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.OK, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("Avoid empty if"));
     }
 
     @Test
     public void exitStatusWithViolationsAndWithoutFailOnViolationsLongOption() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/errorprone.xml", "--fail-on-violation", "false", };
-        String log = runTest(0, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.OK, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("Avoid empty if"));
     }
 
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ public class CLITest extends BaseCLITest {
     @Test
     public void testWrongRuleset() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/designn.xml", };
-        String log = runTest(1, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.ERROR, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("Can't find resource 'category/java/designn.xml' for rule 'null'."
                                            + "  Make sure the resource is a valid file"));
     }
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ public class CLITest extends BaseCLITest {
     @Test
     public void testWrongRulesetWithRulename() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/designn.xml/UseCollectionIsEmpty", };
-        String log = runTest(1, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.ERROR, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("Can't find resource 'category/java/designn.xml' for rule "
                                            + "'UseCollectionIsEmpty'."));
     }
@@ -97,7 +99,7 @@ public class CLITest extends BaseCLITest {
     @Test
     public void testWrongRulename() {
         String[] args = { "-d", SOURCE_FOLDER, "-f", "text", "-R", "category/java/design.xml/ThisRuleDoesNotExist", };
-        String log = runTest(1, args);
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.OK, args);
         assertThat(log, containsString("No rules found. Maybe you misspelled a rule name?"
                                            + " (category/java/design.xml/ThisRuleDoesNotExist)"));
     }
diff --git a/pmd-test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/BaseCLITest.java b/pmd-test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/BaseCLITest.java
index b18808fd02..54e9739159 100644
--- a/pmd-test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/BaseCLITest.java
+++ b/pmd-test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/BaseCLITest.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.junit.BeforeClass;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD.StatusCode;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.internal.util.AssertionUtil;
 
 /**
  * @author Romain Pelisse <belaran@gmail.com>
@@ -79,11 +80,19 @@ public abstract class BaseCLITest {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(String...)}, note that
+     *     it returns the log while this returns the name of a file containing the log.
+     */
     @Deprecated
     protected String runTest(String[] args, String testname) {
-        return runTest(args);
+        return runTest(args, testname, 0);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(StatusCode, String...)}, note that
+     *     it returns the log while this returns the name of a file containing the log.
+     */
     @Deprecated
     protected String runTest(String[] args, String testname, int expectedExitCode) {
         String filename = TEST_OUPUT_DIRECTORY + testname + ".txt";
@@ -100,27 +109,49 @@ public abstract class BaseCLITest {
      * Returns the log output.
      */
     protected String runTest(String... args) {
-        return runTest(0, args);
+        return runTest(StatusCode.OK, args);
     }
 
     /**
      * Returns the log output.
+     *
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(StatusCode, String...)}
      */
+    @Deprecated
     protected String runTest(int expectedExitCode, String... args) {
+        switch (expectedExitCode) {
+        case 0:
+            return runTest(StatusCode.OK, args);
+        case 1:
+            return runTest(StatusCode.ERROR, args);
+        case 4:
+            return runTest(StatusCode.VIOLATIONS_FOUND, args);
+        default:
+            throw AssertionUtil.shouldNotReachHere("unknown status code " + expectedExitCode);
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected String runTest(StatusCode expectedExitCode, String... args) {
         ByteArrayOutputStream console = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
         PrintStream out = new PrintStream(console);
         System.setOut(out);
         System.setErr(out);
         StatusCode statusCode = PMD.runPmd(args);
-        assertEquals(expectedExitCode, statusCode.toInt());
+        assertEquals(expectedExitCode, statusCode);
         return console.toString();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(StatusCode, String...)}
+     */
     @Deprecated
     protected void runPMDWith(String[] args) {
         PMD.main(args);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(StatusCode, String...)} instead of checking the return code manually
+     */
     @Deprecated
     protected void checkStatusCode(int expectedExitCode) {
         int statusCode = getStatusCode();
@@ -129,6 +160,10 @@ public abstract class BaseCLITest {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #runTest(StatusCode, String...)} instead
+     * of checking the return code manually
+     */
     @Deprecated
     protected int getStatusCode() {
         return Integer.parseInt(System.getProperty(PMDCommandLineInterface.STATUS_CODE_PROPERTY));
diff --git a/pmd-xml/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/xml/XmlCliTest.java b/pmd-xml/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/xml/XmlCliTest.java
index 2c9af24104..14e717b237 100644
--- a/pmd-xml/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/xml/XmlCliTest.java
+++ b/pmd-xml/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/xml/XmlCliTest.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.PMD.StatusCode;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.cli.BaseCLITest;
 
 public class XmlCliTest extends BaseCLITest {
@@ -36,19 +37,19 @@ public class XmlCliTest extends BaseCLITest {
 
     @Test
     public void analyzeSingleXmlWithoutForceLanguage() {
-        String log = runTest(0, createArgs("/src/file1.ext"));
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.OK, createArgs("/src/file1.ext"));
         assertRuleMessage(0, log);
     }
 
     @Test
     public void analyzeSingleXmlWithForceLanguage() {
-        String log = runTest(4, createArgs("/src/file1.ext", "-force-language", "xml"));
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.VIOLATIONS_FOUND, createArgs("/src/file1.ext", "-force-language", "xml"));
         assertRuleMessage(1, log);
     }
 
     @Test
     public void analyzeDirectoryWithForceLanguage() {
-        String log = runTest(4, createArgs("/src/", "-force-language", "xml"));
+        String log = runTest(StatusCode.VIOLATIONS_FOUND, createArgs("/src/", "-force-language", "xml"));
         assertRuleMessage(3, log);
     }