diff --git a/mysql-test/include/search_pattern_in_file.inc b/mysql-test/include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
index 0a68fcf6765..3c5529989bb 100644
--- a/mysql-test/include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+++ b/mysql-test/include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
@@ -45,14 +45,13 @@
 
 perl;
     use strict;
-    use autodie qw(open);
     die "SEARCH_FILE not set" unless $ENV{SEARCH_FILE};
     my @search_files= glob($ENV{SEARCH_FILE});
     my $search_pattern= $ENV{SEARCH_PATTERN} or die "SEARCH_PATTERN not set";
     my $search_range=   $ENV{SEARCH_RANGE};
     my $content;
     foreach my $search_file (@search_files) {
-        open(FILE, '<', $search_file);
+        open(FILE, '<', $search_file) || die("Can't open file $search_file: $!");
         my $file_content;
         if ($search_range > 0) {
            read(FILE, $file_content, $search_range, 0);
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/add_index_inplace_sstfilewriter.test b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/add_index_inplace_sstfilewriter.test
index 805cf618b2e..1ac382794ae 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/add_index_inplace_sstfilewriter.test
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/add_index_inplace_sstfilewriter.test
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 --source include/have_rocksdb.inc
 
+# This test requires ~1.3G of disk space
+--source include/big_test.inc
+
 --disable_warnings
 drop table if exists t1;
 --enable_warnings
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/bulk_load.test b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/bulk_load.test
index a392b371a04..283cedcb6bb 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/bulk_load.test
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/bulk_load.test
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 --source include/have_rocksdb.inc
 --source include/have_partition.inc
 
+# This test requires ~2.3G of disk space
+--source include/big_test.inc
+
 --disable_warnings
 DROP TABLE IF EXISTS t1, t2, t3;
 --enable_warnings
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/compact_deletes_test.inc b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/compact_deletes_test.inc
index d80dcebcced..19a16fbe3a7 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/compact_deletes_test.inc
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/compact_deletes_test.inc
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ let $wait_condition = select count(*) = 0
 
 let NO_MORE_DELETES=$no_more_deletes;
 perl;
-  use autodie qw(open);
   $num_retries=240;
   $retry=0;
   print "wait_for_delete: $ENV{no_more_deletes}\n";
@@ -47,7 +46,8 @@ perl;
     $total_d=$total_e=0;
     for $f (<$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/mysqld.1/data/.rocksdb/*.sst>) {
       # excluding system cf
-      open D, '-|', "$ENV{MARIAROCKS_SST_DUMP} --command=scan --output_hex --file=$f";
+      $filename= "$ENV{MARIAROCKS_SST_DUMP} --command=scan --output_hex --file=$f";
+      open(D, '-|', $filename) || die("Can't open file $filename: $!");
       while (<D>) {
         next unless /'(\d{8})/ and $1 >= 8;
         $total_d++ if /: [07]/;
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/disabled.def b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/disabled.def
index fbb8d645cb4..5247bf2aad2 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/disabled.def
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/disabled.def
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ rpl_row_not_found : MariaDB doesnt support slave_exec_mode='SEMI_STRICT'
 
 blind_delete_without_tx_api: MDEV-12286: rocksdb.blind_delete_without_tx_api test fails
 
+persistent_cache: Upstream RocksDB bug https://github.com/facebook/mysql-5.6/issues/579
+
 allow_no_pk_concurrent_insert: stress test
 rocksdb_deadlock_stress_rc: stress test
 rocksdb_deadlock_stress_rr: stress test
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table.test b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table.test
index 530f5792bed..0d48ae461ca 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table.test
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table.test
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ let $wait_condition = select count(*) = 0
 # Check total compacted-away rows for all indices
 # Check that all indices have been successfully dropped
 perl;
-use autodie qw(open);
 
 sub print_array {
   $str = shift;
@@ -123,7 +122,8 @@ sub print_array {
   }
 }
 
-open F, '<', "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/log/mysqld.1.err";
+$filename= "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/log/mysqld.1.err";
+open(F, '<', $filename) || die("Can't open file $filename: $!");
 while (<F>) {
   %a = @b = @c = () if /CURRENT_TEST/;
   if (/Compacting away elements from dropped index \(\d+,(\d+)\): (\d+)/) {
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table2.test b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table2.test
index 7d53582e47b..1b5f6c14ee1 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table2.test
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/drop_table2.test
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ let $table = t5;
 --source drop_table_repopulate_table.inc
 
 perl;
-use autodie qw(open);
 $size+=-s $_ for (<$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/mysqld.1/data/.rocksdb/*.sst>);
-open(F, '>', "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/tmp/size_output"); 
+$filename= "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/tmp/size_output";
+open(F, '>', $filename) || die("Can't open file $filename: $!");
 print F $size;
 EOF
 drop table t1;
@@ -110,9 +110,9 @@ let $wait_condition = select count(*) = 0
 
 # Check that space is reclaimed
 perl;
-use autodie qw(open);
 $size+=-s $_ for (<$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/mysqld.1/data/.rocksdb/*.sst>);
-open(F, '<', "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/tmp/size_output"); 
+$filename= "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/tmp/size_output";
+open(F, '<', $filename) || die("Can't open file $filename: $!");
 $old=<F>;
 print "Compacted\n" if $old > $size * 2;
 EOF
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/optimize_table.inc b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/optimize_table.inc
index ad5953150c9..9d03aae5c0c 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/optimize_table.inc
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/optimize_table.inc
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 # run a check script to verify sst files reduced enough during each optimize table
 perl;
-use autodie qw(open);
 
 $size += -s $_ for (<$ENV{datadir}/.rocksdb/*.sst>);
 $file= "$ENV{MYSQL_TMP_DIR}/sst_size.dat";
 
 if (-f $file) {
-  open(F, '<', $file);
+  open(F, '<', $file) || die("Can't open file $file: $!");
   $old = <F>;
   close F;
   if ($old - $size < 1e6) {
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ if (-f $file) {
     print "sst file reduction ok\n";
   }
 }
-open(F, '>', $file);
+open(F, '>', $file) || die("Can't open file $file: $!");
 print F $size;
 close F;
 EOF
diff --git a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/rocksdb_checksums.test b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/rocksdb_checksums.test
index e643bdfcda8..9a7704c7ab0 100644
--- a/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/rocksdb_checksums.test
+++ b/storage/rocksdb/mysql-test/rocksdb/t/rocksdb_checksums.test
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ while ($i<10000)
 --enable_query_log
 check table t4;
 perl;
-use autodie qw(open);
 $total=10000;
 $pct=5;
 @out=();
 
-open(F, '<', "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/log/mysqld.1.err");
+$filename= "$ENV{MYSQLTEST_VARDIR}/log/mysqld.1.err";
+open(F, '<', $filename) || die("Can't open file $filename: $!");
 while(<F>) {
   @out=() if /^CURRENT_TEST:/;
   if (/(\d+) index entries checked \((\d+) had checksums/) {