diff --git a/.rubocop.yml b/.rubocop.yml
index 05efb4830..de96c2b1d 100644
--- a/.rubocop.yml
+++ b/.rubocop.yml
@@ -467,6 +467,10 @@ RSpec/AroundBlock:
 RSpec/BeforeAfterAll:
   Enabled: true
 
+RSpec/BeNil:
+  Enabled: true
+  EnforcedStyle: be
+
 RSpec/Capybara/CurrentPathExpectation:
   Enabled: true
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/management/sessions_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/management/sessions_controller_spec.rb
index 76e1cb4ee..be4338f70 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/management/sessions_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/management/sessions_controller_spec.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ describe Management::SessionsController do
 
       expect(response).to redirect_to "/"
       expect(flash[:alert]).to eq "You do not have permission to access this page."
-      expect(session[:manager]).to be_nil
+      expect(session[:manager]).to be nil
     end
 
     it "redirects to management root path if authorized manager with right credentials" do
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ describe Management::SessionsController do
 
       expect(response).to redirect_to "/"
       expect(flash[:alert]).to eq "You do not have permission to access this page."
-      expect(session[:manager]).to be_nil
+      expect(session[:manager]).to be nil
     end
   end
 
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ describe Management::SessionsController do
 
       delete :destroy
 
-      expect(session[:manager]).to be_nil
-      expect(session[:document_type]).to be_nil
-      expect(session[:document_number]).to be_nil
+      expect(session[:manager]).to be nil
+      expect(session[:document_type]).to be nil
+      expect(session[:document_number]).to be nil
       expect(response).to be_redirect
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/management/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/management/users_controller_spec.rb
index 78f80a6b0..a4a0e4523 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/management/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/management/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ describe Management::UsersController do
       get :logout
 
       expect(session[:manager]).to eq(user_key: "31415926", date: "20151031135905", login: "JJB033")
-      expect(session[:document_type]).to be_nil
-      expect(session[:document_number]).to be_nil
+      expect(session[:document_type]).to be nil
+      expect(session[:document_number]).to be nil
       expect(response).to be_redirect
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/lib/age_spec.rb b/spec/lib/age_spec.rb
index e72b3f531..38d8821fc 100644
--- a/spec/lib/age_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/age_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require "rails_helper"
 describe Age do
   describe ".in_years" do
     it "handles nils" do
-      expect(Age.in_years(nil)).to be_nil
+      expect(Age.in_years(nil)).to be nil
     end
 
     it "calculates age correctly for common dates" do
diff --git a/spec/models/admin_notification_spec.rb b/spec/models/admin_notification_spec.rb
index 3046f38da..c406c79dd 100644
--- a/spec/models/admin_notification_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/admin_notification_spec.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe AdminNotification do
 
   describe "#complete_link_url" do
     it "does not change link if there is no value" do
-      expect(admin_notification.link).to be_nil
+      expect(admin_notification.link).to be nil
     end
 
     it "fixes a link without http://" do
diff --git a/spec/models/budget/content_block_spec.rb b/spec/models/budget/content_block_spec.rb
index e8d1e4d28..9c54ffb24 100644
--- a/spec/models/budget/content_block_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/budget/content_block_spec.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe Budget::ContentBlock do
     it "returns nil on new records without heading" do
       block = Budget::ContentBlock.new
 
-      expect(block.name).to be_nil
+      expect(block.name).to be nil
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/budget/investment_spec.rb b/spec/models/budget/investment_spec.rb
index 04ee16775..c6bf06024 100644
--- a/spec/models/budget/investment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/budget/investment_spec.rb
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ describe Budget::Investment do
 
       it "accepts valid selections when selecting is allowed" do
         budget.phase = "selecting"
-        expect(district_sp.reason_for_not_being_selectable_by(user)).to be_nil
+        expect(district_sp.reason_for_not_being_selectable_by(user)).to be nil
       end
 
       it "rejects votes in two headings of the same group" do
@@ -1174,12 +1174,12 @@ describe Budget::Investment do
 
         it "accepts valid ballots when voting is allowed" do
           budget.phase = "balloting"
-          expect(investment.reason_for_not_being_ballotable_by(user, ballot)).to be_nil
+          expect(investment.reason_for_not_being_ballotable_by(user, ballot)).to be nil
         end
 
         it "accepts valid selections" do
           budget.phase = "selecting"
-          expect(investment.reason_for_not_being_selectable_by(user)).to be_nil
+          expect(investment.reason_for_not_being_selectable_by(user)).to be nil
         end
 
         it "rejects users with different headings" do
diff --git a/spec/models/concerns/has_public_author.rb b/spec/models/concerns/has_public_author.rb
index 13dcf72ac..75b346211 100644
--- a/spec/models/concerns/has_public_author.rb
+++ b/spec/models/concerns/has_public_author.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ shared_examples_for "has_public_author" do
       author = create(:user, public_activity: false)
       authored_element = create(model.to_s.underscore.to_sym, author: author)
 
-      expect(authored_element.public_author).to be_nil
+      expect(authored_element.public_author).to be nil
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/legislation/question_spec.rb b/spec/models/legislation/question_spec.rb
index d710415ea..90699b3a8 100644
--- a/spec/models/legislation/question_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/legislation/question_spec.rb
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe Legislation::Question do
     end
 
     it "returns nil" do
-      expect(question2.next_question_id).to be_nil
+      expect(question2.next_question_id).to be nil
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/local_census_records/import_spec.rb b/spec/models/local_census_records/import_spec.rb
index 67a04cdf6..f89aa0b4b 100644
--- a/spec/models/local_census_records/import_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/local_census_records/import_spec.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe LocalCensusRecords::Import do
       import.save!
       local_census_record = LocalCensusRecord.find_by(document_number: "X11556678")
 
-      expect(local_census_record).not_to be_nil
+      expect(local_census_record).not_to be nil
       expect(local_census_record.document_type).to eq("2")
       expect(local_census_record.document_number).to eq("X11556678")
       expect(local_census_record.date_of_birth).to eq(Date.parse("07/08/1987"))
diff --git a/spec/models/search_cache_spec.rb b/spec/models/search_cache_spec.rb
index 03dc09368..95924730c 100644
--- a/spec/models/search_cache_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/search_cache_spec.rb
@@ -6,22 +6,22 @@ describe SearchCache do
       debate = create(:debate)
       debate.update_column(:tsv, nil)
 
-      expect(debate.reload.tsv).to be_nil
+      expect(debate.reload.tsv).to be nil
 
       debate.calculate_tsvector
 
-      expect(debate.reload.tsv).not_to be_nil
+      expect(debate.reload.tsv).not_to be nil
     end
 
     it "calculates the tsv column of a hidden record" do
       debate = create(:debate, :hidden)
       debate.update_column(:tsv, nil)
 
-      expect(debate.reload.tsv).to be_nil
+      expect(debate.reload.tsv).to be nil
 
       debate.calculate_tsvector
 
-      expect(debate.reload.tsv).not_to be_nil
+      expect(debate.reload.tsv).not_to be nil
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/setting_spec.rb b/spec/models/setting_spec.rb
index 22b0ebfe1..fafd06481 100644
--- a/spec/models/setting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/setting_spec.rb
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ describe Setting do
 
         Setting.add_new_settings
 
-        expect(Setting.find_by(key: :stub).value).to be_nil
+        expect(Setting.find_by(key: :stub).value).to be nil
       end
     end
 
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ describe Setting do
         Setting.add_new_settings
 
         expect(Setting.where(key: :stub)).not_to be_empty
-        expect(Setting.find_by(key: :stub).value).to be_nil
+        expect(Setting.find_by(key: :stub).value).to be nil
       end
 
       it "doesn't modify custom values" do
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 50106de69..a46e104e0 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ describe User do
       subject.remove_official_position!
 
       expect(subject).not_to be_official
-      expect(subject.official_position).to be_nil
+      expect(subject.official_position).to be nil
       expect(subject.official_level).to eq(0)
     end
   end
@@ -508,16 +508,16 @@ describe User do
       expect(user.erase_reason).to eq("a test")
       expect(user.erased_at).to    be
 
-      expect(user.username).to be_nil
-      expect(user.email).to be_nil
-      expect(user.unconfirmed_email).to be_nil
-      expect(user.phone_number).to be_nil
-      expect(user.confirmed_phone).to be_nil
-      expect(user.unconfirmed_phone).to be_nil
+      expect(user.username).to be nil
+      expect(user.email).to be nil
+      expect(user.unconfirmed_email).to be nil
+      expect(user.phone_number).to be nil
+      expect(user.confirmed_phone).to be nil
+      expect(user.unconfirmed_phone).to be nil
       expect(user.encrypted_password).to be_empty
-      expect(user.confirmation_token).to be_nil
-      expect(user.reset_password_token).to be_nil
-      expect(user.email_verification_token).to be_nil
+      expect(user.confirmation_token).to be nil
+      expect(user.reset_password_token).to be nil
+      expect(user.email_verification_token).to be nil
     end
 
     it "maintains associated identification document" do
diff --git a/spec/models/verification/management/email_spec.rb b/spec/models/verification/management/email_spec.rb
index 91d1c62f8..4921a5021 100644
--- a/spec/models/verification/management/email_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/verification/management/email_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe Verification::Management::Email do
     end
 
     it "returns nil/false when the user does not exist" do
-      expect(subject.user).to be_nil
+      expect(subject.user).to be nil
       expect(subject.user?).not_to be
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/system/home_spec.rb b/spec/system/home_spec.rb
index f74659a07..053cef2ee 100644
--- a/spec/system/home_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/home_spec.rb
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ describe "Home" do
 
       visit root_path
       expect(page).to have_xpath(ie_alert_box_xpath)
-      expect(page.driver.request.cookies["ie_alert_closed"]).to be_nil
+      expect(page.driver.request.cookies["ie_alert_closed"]).to be nil
 
       # faking close button, since a normal find and click
       # will not work as the element is inside a HTML conditional comment
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ describe "Home" do
     scenario "non-IE visitors are not bothered with IE alerts", :page_driver do
       visit root_path
       expect(page).not_to have_xpath(ie_alert_box_xpath)
-      expect(page.driver.request.cookies["ie_alert_closed"]).to be_nil
+      expect(page.driver.request.cookies["ie_alert_closed"]).to be nil
     end
 
     def ie_alert_box_xpath
diff --git a/spec/system/registration_form_spec.rb b/spec/system/registration_form_spec.rb
index a9e018ee1..ab7df5ce2 100644
--- a/spec/system/registration_form_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/registration_form_spec.rb
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe "Registration form" do
 
     new_user = User.last
     expect(new_user.username).to eq("NewUserWithCode77")
-    expect(new_user.redeemable_code).to be_nil
+    expect(new_user.redeemable_code).to be nil
   end
 
   scenario "Create with invisible_captcha honeypot field", :no_js do