diff --git a/test/base-request/test_baseRequest.js b/test/base-request/test_baseRequest.js
index ffc11cb..a348cef 100644
--- a/test/base-request/test_baseRequest.js
+++ b/test/base-request/test_baseRequest.js
@@ -20,14 +20,11 @@ test('HandleResponse does not throw error for response ok', t => {
 })
 
 test('baseRequest test query and vsprint', async t => {
-    const target = {
-        message: 'HTTP Error: Requested page not reachable',
-        requestURI: 'https://www.google.com/teapot',
-        status: '418 I\'m a Teapot',
-    }
-    const error = await t.throws(baseRequest('https://%s.com/', {
+    const error = await t.throwsAsync(baseRequest('https://%s.com/', {
         urlTemplateSpec: ['google'],
         query: 'teapot'
-    }))
-    t.deepEqual(target, error)
+    }), { instanceOf: Error, message: 'HTTP Error: Requested page not reachable' })
+
+    t.is(error.requestURI, 'https://www.google.com/teapot')
+    t.is(error.status, '418 I\'m a Teapot')
 })
diff --git a/test/connection/test_connection.js b/test/connection/test_connection.js
index 71ad022..3efd3c1 100644
--- a/test/connection/test_connection.js
+++ b/test/connection/test_connection.js
@@ -22,8 +22,13 @@ test('Payload thrown at incorrect API_PATH', async t => {
         status: '404 NOT FOUND',
         requestURI: 'http://localhost:9984/api/wrong/transactions/transactionId'
     }
-    const error = await t.throws(connection.getTransaction('transactionId'))
-    t.deepEqual(target, error)
+    const error = await t.throwsAsync(connection.getTransaction('transactionId'), {
+        instanceOf: Error, message: target.message
+    })
+
+    t.is('ResponseError', error.name)
+    t.is(target.status, error.status)
+    t.is(target.requestURI, error.requestURI)
 })
 
 test('Generate API URLS', t => {
@@ -100,7 +105,6 @@ test('Request with custom headers', t => {
     t.truthy(testConn.transport.forwardRequest.calledWith(PATH, expectedOptions))
 })
 
-
 test('Get block for a block id', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const blockHeight = 'abc'
@@ -115,7 +119,6 @@ test('Get block for a block id', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get transaction for a transaction id', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const transactionId = 'abc'
@@ -130,7 +133,6 @@ test('Get transaction for a transaction id', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get list of blocks for a transaction id', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const transactionId = 'abc'
@@ -149,7 +151,6 @@ test('Get list of blocks for a transaction id', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get list of transactions for an asset id', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const assetId = 'abc'
@@ -170,7 +171,6 @@ test('Get list of transactions for an asset id', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get outputs for a public key and no spent flag', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const publicKey = 'publicKey'
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@ test('Get outputs for a public key and no spent flag', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get outputs for a public key and spent=false', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const publicKey = 'publicKey'
@@ -201,7 +200,6 @@ test('Get outputs for a public key and spent=false', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get outputs for a public key and spent=true', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const publicKey = 'publicKey'
@@ -217,7 +215,6 @@ test('Get outputs for a public key and spent=true', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get asset for text', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const search = 'abc'
@@ -232,7 +229,6 @@ test('Get asset for text', t => {
     ))
 })
 
-
 test('Get metadata for text', t => {
     const expectedPath = 'path'
     const search = 'abc'
diff --git a/test/integration/test_integration.js b/test/integration/test_integration.js
index d132586..fa0be97 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_integration.js
+++ b/test/integration/test_integration.js
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import {
     delegatedSignTransaction
 } from '../constants'
 
-
 test('Keypair is created', t => {
     const keyPair = new Ed25519Keypair()
 
@@ -25,10 +24,6 @@ test('Keypair is created', t => {
     t.truthy(keyPair.privateKey)
 })
 
-
-// TODO: The following tests are a bit messy currently, please do:
-//
-//  - tidy up dependency on `pollStatusAndFetchTransaction`
 test('Valid CREATE transaction with default node', t => {
     const conn = new Connection()
 
@@ -46,7 +41,6 @@ test('Valid CREATE transaction with default node', t => {
         })
 })
 
-
 test('Valid CREATE transaction using async', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -62,7 +56,6 @@ test('Valid CREATE transaction using async', t => {
         .then(resTx => t.truthy(resTx))
 })
 
-
 test('Valid CREATE transaction using sync', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -78,7 +71,6 @@ test('Valid CREATE transaction using sync', t => {
         .then(resTx => t.truthy(resTx))
 })
 
-
 test('Valid TRANSFER transaction with single Ed25519 input', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
     const createTx = Transaction.makeCreateTransaction(
@@ -108,7 +100,6 @@ test('Valid TRANSFER transaction with single Ed25519 input', t => {
         })
 })
 
-
 test('Valid TRANSFER transaction with multiple Ed25519 inputs', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
     const createTx = Transaction.makeCreateTransaction(
@@ -139,7 +130,6 @@ test('Valid TRANSFER transaction with multiple Ed25519 inputs', t => {
         })
 })
 
-
 test('Valid TRANSFER transaction with multiple Ed25519 inputs from different transactions', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
     const carol = new Ed25519Keypair()
@@ -264,7 +254,6 @@ test('Search for spent and unspent outputs of a given public key', t => {
     const trentCondition = Transaction.makeEd25519Condition(trent.publicKey)
     const trentOutput = Transaction.makeOutput(trentCondition)
 
-
     const createTx = Transaction.makeCreateTransaction(
         asset(),
         metaData,
@@ -295,7 +284,6 @@ test('Search for spent and unspent outputs of a given public key', t => {
         .then(outputs => t.truthy(outputs.length === 2))
 })
 
-
 test('Search for unspent outputs for a given public key', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
     const carol = new Ed25519Keypair()
@@ -335,7 +323,6 @@ test('Search for unspent outputs for a given public key', t => {
         .then(outputs => t.truthy(outputs.length === 2))
 })
 
-
 test('Search for spent outputs for a given public key', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
     const carol = new Ed25519Keypair()
@@ -375,7 +362,6 @@ test('Search for spent outputs for a given public key', t => {
         .then(outputs => t.truthy(outputs.length === 1))
 })
 
-
 test('Search for an asset', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -398,7 +384,6 @@ test('Search for an asset', t => {
         ))
 })
 
-
 test('Search for metadata', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -421,7 +406,6 @@ test('Search for metadata', t => {
         ))
 })
 
-
 test('Search blocks containing a transaction', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -443,7 +427,6 @@ test('Search blocks containing a transaction', t => {
         .then(transactions => t.truthy(transactions.length === 1))
 })
 
-
 test('Search transaction containing an asset', t => {
     const conn = new Connection(API_PATH)
 
@@ -465,7 +448,8 @@ test('Search transaction containing an asset', t => {
         })
 })
 
-
 test('Content-Type cannot be set', t => {
-    t.throws(() => new Connection(API_PATH, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }), Error)
+    t.throws(() => new Connection(API_PATH, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }), {
+        instanceOf: Error
+    })
 })
diff --git a/test/request/test_request.js b/test/request/test_request.js
index 99e3ce6..2308bef 100644
--- a/test/request/test_request.js
+++ b/test/request/test_request.js
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 import test from 'ava'
 import Connection from '../../src/connection'
 
-
 const conn = new Connection()
 
 test('Ensure that BackoffTimedelta works properly', t => {
@@ -18,14 +17,10 @@ test('Ensure that BackoffTimedelta works properly', t => {
 
 test('Ensure that updateBackoffTime throws and error on TimeoutError', async t => {
     const req = conn.transport.pickConnection()
-    const target = {
-        message: 'TimeoutError'
-    }
-    req.connectionError = target
+    const errorMessage = 'TimeoutError'
+    req.connectionError = new Error(errorMessage)
 
-    const error = t.throws(() => {
+    t.throws(() => {
         req.updateBackoffTime()
-    })
-
-    t.deepEqual(target, error)
+    }, { instanceOf: Error, message: errorMessage })
 })
diff --git a/test/sanitize/test_sanitize.js b/test/sanitize/test_sanitize.js
index d699c24..9694aaa 100644
--- a/test/sanitize/test_sanitize.js
+++ b/test/sanitize/test_sanitize.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ const sanitize = rewire('../../src/sanitize.js')
 const applyFilterOnObject = sanitize.__get__('applyFilterOnObject')
 const filterFromObject = sanitize.__get__('filterFromObject')
 
-
 test('Ensure that null filter returns same object', t => {
     const expected = { 'testObj': 'test' }
     const actual = applyFilterOnObject({ 'testObj': 'test' }, null)
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ test('Ensure that null filter returns same object', t => {
     t.deepEqual(actual, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Ensure function filter with isInclusion true works properly', t => {
     const testObj = [true, false, undefined, '', 0, null]
     const expected = { 0: true }
@@ -26,7 +24,6 @@ test('Ensure function filter with isInclusion true works properly', t => {
     t.deepEqual(actual, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Ensure function filter with isInclusion false works properly', t => {
     const testObj = [false, true, 1, 10, 'this will be removed as it is truthy']
     const expected = { 0: false }
@@ -35,7 +32,6 @@ test('Ensure function filter with isInclusion false works properly', t => {
     t.deepEqual(actual, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Ensure array filter with isInclusion true works properly', t => {
     const testObj = [true, false, undefined, '', 0, null]
     const expected = { 0: true }
@@ -44,7 +40,6 @@ test('Ensure array filter with isInclusion true works properly', t => {
     t.deepEqual(actual, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Ensure array filter with isInclusion false works properly', t => {
     const testObj = [false, true, 1, 10]
     const expected = { 0: false }
@@ -53,12 +48,8 @@ test('Ensure array filter with isInclusion false works properly', t => {
     t.deepEqual(actual, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Ensure throws error when given invalid filter', t => {
-    const error = t.throws(() => {
+    t.throws(() => {
         filterFromObject({}, 'lol')
-    }, Error)
-
-    t.is(error.message, 'The given filter is not an array or function. Filter aborted')
+    }, { instanceOf: Error, message: 'The given filter is not an array or function. Filter aborted' })
 })
-
diff --git a/test/text-format/test_format_text.js b/test/text-format/test_format_text.js
index a392572..01f2d65 100644
--- a/test/text-format/test_format_text.js
+++ b/test/text-format/test_format_text.js
@@ -41,12 +41,10 @@ test('formatText test type 3', t => {
 })
 
 test('formatText test throws', t => {
-    const error = t.throws(() => {
+    t.throws(() => {
         formatText(
             'This will give ${error.}', // eslint-disable-line no-template-curly-in-string
             { error: [{}] }
         )
-    }, SyntaxError)
-
-    t.is(error.message, '[formatText] failed to parse named argument key: error.')
+    }, { instanceOf: SyntaxError, message: '[formatText] failed to parse named argument key: error.' })
 })
diff --git a/test/transaction/test_cryptoconditions.js b/test/transaction/test_cryptoconditions.js
index b6fe2bb..d9a102e 100644
--- a/test/transaction/test_cryptoconditions.js
+++ b/test/transaction/test_cryptoconditions.js
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ test('Sha256Condition fulfillment', t => {
     t.deepEqual(target, Transaction.makeSha256Condition(preimage))
 })
 
-
 test('Threshold condition encoding', t => {
     const publicKey = '4zvwRjXUKGfvwnParsHAS3HuSVzV5cA4McphgmoCtajS'
     const ed25519 = Transaction.makeEd25519Condition(publicKey, false)
@@ -64,7 +63,6 @@ test('Threshold condition encoding', t => {
     t.deepEqual(target, output)
 })
 
-
 test('Fulfillment correctly formed', t => {
     const alice = new Ed25519Keypair()
     const txCreate = Transaction.makeCreateTransaction(
@@ -115,23 +113,6 @@ test('Delegated signature is correct', t => {
     t.deepEqual(signCreateTransaction, delegatedSignCreateTransaction)
 })
 
-
-test('CryptoConditions JSON load', t => {
-    const cond = ccJsonLoad({
-        type: 'threshold-sha-256',
-        threshold: 1,
-        subconditions: [{
-            type: 'ed25519-sha-256',
-            public_key: 'a'
-        },
-        {
-            hash: 'a'
-        }],
-    })
-    t.truthy(cond.subconditions.length === 2)
-})
-
-
 test('CryptoConditions JSON load', t => {
     const cond = ccJsonLoad({
         type: 'threshold-sha-256',
diff --git a/test/transaction/test_transaction.js b/test/transaction/test_transaction.js
index b161cd1..d37e0b8 100644
--- a/test/transaction/test_transaction.js
+++ b/test/transaction/test_transaction.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
     transferTx
 } from '../constants'
 
-
 test('Create valid output with default amount', t => {
     const condition = {
         details: {
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ test('Create valid output with default amount', t => {
     t.deepEqual(res, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('Create valid output with custom amount', t => {
     const condition = {
         details: {
@@ -65,12 +63,10 @@ test('Pass condition not based on public_keys to makeOutput', t => {
     t.deepEqual(res, expected)
 })
 
-
 test('makeOutput throws TypeError with incorrect amount type', t => {
-    t.throws(() => Transaction.makeOutput({}, 1337), TypeError)
+    t.throws(() => Transaction.makeOutput({}, 1337), { instanceOf: TypeError })
 })
 
-
 test('Create TRANSFER transaction based on CREATE transaction', t => {
     sinon.spy(Transaction, 'makeTransaction')
     Transaction.makeTransferTransaction(
@@ -95,7 +91,6 @@ test('Create TRANSFER transaction based on CREATE transaction', t => {
     Transaction.makeTransaction.restore()
 })
 
-
 test('Create TRANSFER transaction based on TRANSFER transaction', t => {
     sinon.spy(Transaction, 'makeTransaction')