diff --git a/R/expect-comparison.R b/R/expect-comparison.R
index 985c065aa..90df837cf 100644
--- a/R/expect-comparison.R
+++ b/R/expect-comparison.R
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ expect_compare_ <- function(
 
   cmp <- op(act$val, exp$val)
   if (length(cmp) != 1 || !is.logical(cmp)) {
-    abort("Result of comparison must be a single logical value")
+    abort(
+      "Result of comparison must be a single logical value",
+      call = trace_env
+    )
   }
   if (!isTRUE(cmp)) {
     digits <- max(
diff --git a/R/skip.R b/R/skip.R
index 3903a1c1d..3abc8ae1a 100644
--- a/R/skip.R
+++ b/R/skip.R
@@ -138,10 +138,12 @@ package_version <- function(x) {
 #'   should only be run on R versions 4.1.0 and later.
 #' @rdname skip
 skip_unless_r <- function(spec) {
+  check_string(spec)
+
   parts <- unlist(strsplit(spec, " ", fixed = TRUE))
   if (length(parts) != 2L) {
     cli::cli_abort(
-      "{.arg spec} should be a comparison like '>=' and an R version separated by a space."
+      "{.arg spec} must be an valid version specification, like {.str >= 4.0.0}, not {.str {spec}}."
     )
   }
   comparator <- match.fun(parts[1L])
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/examples.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/examples.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad79089ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/examples.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# test_examples fails if no examples
+
+    Code
+      test_examples("asdf")
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Could not find examples
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-comparison.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-comparison.md
index ad689bbba..8b7000271 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-comparison.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-comparison.md
@@ -18,3 +18,11 @@
     `x` is not strictly less than 0.001.
     100.000 - 0.001 = 99.999 >= 0
 
+# comparison must yield a single logical
+
+    Code
+      expect_lt(1:10, 5)
+    Condition
+      Error in `expect_lt()`:
+      ! Result of comparison must be a single logical value
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-setequal.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-setequal.md
index 50d57a319..14d806e2d 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-setequal.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/expect-setequal.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+# warns if both inputs are named
+
+    Code
+      expect_setequal(c(a = 1), c(b = 1))
+    Condition
+      Warning:
+      expect_setequal() ignores names
+
 # checks inputs
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-stop.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-stop.md
index c57c94761..febb63df5 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-stop.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-stop.md
@@ -48,3 +48,11 @@
 
     
 
+# stop if needed errors when needed
+
+    Code
+      r$stop_if_needed()
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Test failed
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-zzz.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-zzz.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dbe7b5c13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/reporter-zzz.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# useful error message if can't find reporter
+
+    Code
+      find_reporter(c("summary", "blah"))
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Can not find test reporter blah
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/skip.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/skip.md
index 98959d007..2bc5545a9 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/skip.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/skip.md
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@
 
     Reason: On Windows i386
 
+# skip_unless_r works as expected
+
+    Code
+      skip_unless_r("idfjdij")
+    Condition
+      Error in `skip_unless_r()`:
+      ! `spec` must be an valid version specification, like ">= 4.0.0", not "idfjdij".
+
 # skip_unless_r gives the expected output
 
     Reason: Current R version (4.5.0) does not satisfy requirement (>= 999.999.999)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/snapshot-file.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/snapshot-file.md
index 6b2f9e65b..a97a546e2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/snapshot-file.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/snapshot-file.md
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+# warns on first creation
+
+    Code
+      out <- snapshot_file_equal(tempdir(), "test.txt", NULL, path)
+    Condition
+      Warning:
+      Adding new file snapshot: 'tests/testthat/_snaps/test.txt'
+
+---
+
+    Code
+      expect_true(snapshot_file_equal(tempdir(), "test.txt", NULL, "doesnt-exist.txt"))
+    Condition
+      Error in `snapshot_file_equal()`:
+      ! `doesnt-exist.txt` not found
+
 # snapshot_hint output differs in R CMD check
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-compiled-code.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-compiled-code.md
index 0b64e5a0e..67f4c2e43 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-compiled-code.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-compiled-code.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+# get_routine() fails when no routine exists
+
+    Code
+      get_routine("utils", "no_such_routine")
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! failed to locate routine 'no_such_routine' in package 'utils'
+
 # validates inputs
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-files.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-files.md
index 13e011d73..e23707c0c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-files.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/test-files.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+# stops on failure
+
+    Code
+      test_dir(test_path("test_dir"), reporter = "silent")
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Test failures
+
 # runs all tests and records output
 
                   file context                                      test nb failed skipped error warning passed
@@ -19,3 +27,35 @@
     16   test-helper.R                                       helper test  1      0   FALSE FALSE       0      1
     17     test-skip.R                                        Skips skip  1      0    TRUE FALSE       0      0
 
+# complains if no files
+
+    Code
+      test_dir(path)
+    Condition
+      Error in `test_dir()`:
+      ! No test files found
+
+# can control if failures generate errors
+
+    Code
+      test_error(stop_on_failure = TRUE)
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Test failures
+
+# can control if warnings errors
+
+    Code
+      test_warning(stop_on_warning = TRUE)
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! Tests generated warnings
+
+# complains if file doesn't exist
+
+    Code
+      test_file("DOESNTEXIST")
+    Condition
+      Error:
+      ! `path` does not exist
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/verify-output.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/verify-output.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..222181b75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/verify-output.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# can't record plots
+
+    Code
+      verify_output(tempfile(), plot(1:10))
+    Condition
+      Error in `FUN()`:
+      ! Plots are not supported
+
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-edition.R b/tests/testthat/test-edition.R
index 24556f7e8..51e4d9bdc 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-edition.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-edition.R
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ test_that("checks its inputs", {
 
 test_that("deprecation only fired for newer edition", {
   local_edition(2)
-  expect_warning(edition_deprecate(3, "old stuff"), NA)
+  expect_no_warning(edition_deprecate(3, "old stuff"))
 
   local_edition(3)
   expect_snapshot(edition_deprecate(3, "old stuff"))
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ test_that("required only fired for older edition", {
 
   withr::local_options(testthat.edition_ignore = FALSE)
   local_edition(3)
-  expect_error(edition_require(3, "new stuff"), NA)
+  expect_no_error(edition_require(3, "new stuff"))
 })
 
 test_that("edition for testthat is 3", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-examples.R b/tests/testthat/test-examples.R
index b584857c5..964d4141a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-examples.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-examples.R
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ test_that("test_examples works with installed packages", {
 
 test_that("test_examples fails if no examples", {
   withr::local_envvar(TESTTHAT_PKG = "")
-  expect_error(test_examples("asdf"), "Could not find examples")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, test_examples("asdf"))
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-expect-comparison.R b/tests/testthat/test-expect-comparison.R
index 89df396b7..b1ea3e279 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-expect-comparison.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-expect-comparison.R
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ test_that("comparisons with more complicated objects work", {
 })
 
 test_that("comparison must yield a single logical", {
-  expect_error(expect_lt(1:10, 5), "single logical")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, expect_lt(1:10, 5))
 })
 
 test_that("wordy versions are deprecated", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-expect-setequal.R b/tests/testthat/test-expect-setequal.R
index dc87b223d..4dd41b0de 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-expect-setequal.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-expect-setequal.R
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ test_that("can compare data frames", {
 })
 
 test_that("warns if both inputs are named", {
-  expect_warning(expect_setequal(c(a = 1), c(b = 1)), "ignores names")
+  expect_snapshot(expect_setequal(c(a = 1), c(b = 1)))
 })
 
 test_that("checks inputs", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-list.R b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-list.R
index e0bd3df3e..0c22d0dfa 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-list.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-list.R
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # regression test: test_file() used to crash with a NULL reporter
 test_that("ListReporter with test_file and NULL reporter", {
   test_file_path <- 'test-list-reporter/test-exercise-list-reporter.R'
-  expect_error(test_file(test_path(test_file_path), reporter = NULL), NA)
+  expect_no_error(test_file(test_path(test_file_path), reporter = NULL))
 })
 
 # regression: check that an exception is reported if it is raised in the test file outside
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-stop.R b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-stop.R
index b5ca1ac07..2b05e2b3f 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-stop.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-stop.R
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ test_that("can suppress praise", {
 
 test_that("stop if needed errors when needed", {
   r <- StopReporter$new()
-  expect_error(r$stop_if_needed(), NA)
+  expect_no_error(r$stop_if_needed())
   r$n_fail <- 1
-  expect_error(r$stop_if_needed(), "Test failed")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, r$stop_if_needed())
   r$stop_reporter <- FALSE
-  expect_error(r$stop_if_needed(), NA)
+  expect_no_error(r$stop_if_needed())
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-zzz.R b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-zzz.R
index 056fa6eef..6bbf9c1a1 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-reporter-zzz.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-reporter-zzz.R
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@ test_that("can locate reporter from name", {
 })
 
 test_that("useful error message if can't find reporter", {
-  expect_error(
-    find_reporter(c("summary", "blah")),
-    "Can not find test reporter blah"
-  )
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, {
+    find_reporter(c("summary", "blah"))
+  })
 })
 
 test_that("character vector yields multi reporter", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-skip.R b/tests/testthat/test-skip.R
index 032475aff..9ed8887fa 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-skip.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-skip.R
@@ -170,11 +170,7 @@ test_that("skip_unless_r works as expected", {
   expect_skip(skip_unless_r("== 0.0.0"))
   expect_skip(skip_unless_r("<= 0.0.0"))
 
-  expect_error(
-    skip_unless_r("idfjdij"),
-    "should be a comparison like '>='",
-    fixed = TRUE
-  )
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, skip_unless_r("idfjdij"))
 })
 
 test_that("skip_unless_r gives the expected output", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-snapshot-file.R b/tests/testthat/test-snapshot-file.R
index 2a0d46c66..193761087 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-snapshot-file.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-snapshot-file.R
@@ -38,10 +38,7 @@ test_that("expect_snapshot_file works in a different directory", {
   brio::write_lines("a", "a.txt", eol = "\r\n")
 
   # expect no warning
-  expect_warning(
-    expect_snapshot_file("a.txt"),
-    regexp = NA
-  )
+  expect_no_warning(expect_snapshot_file("a.txt"))
 })
 
 test_that("expect_snapshot_file works with variant", {
@@ -99,21 +96,18 @@ test_that("warns on first creation", {
   withr::defer(unlink(file.path(tempdir(), "test.txt")))
 
   # Warns on first run
-  expect_warning(
-    expect_true(snapshot_file_equal(tempdir(), "test.txt", NULL, path)),
-    "new file snapshot"
-  )
+  expect_snapshot(out <- snapshot_file_equal(tempdir(), "test.txt", NULL, path))
+  expect_true(out)
 
   # Errors on non-existing file
-  expect_error(
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, {
     expect_true(snapshot_file_equal(
       tempdir(),
       "test.txt",
       NULL,
       "doesnt-exist.txt"
-    )),
-    "`doesnt-exist.txt` not found"
-  )
+    ))
+  })
 
   # Unchanged returns TRUE
   expect_true(snapshot_file_equal(tempdir(), "test.txt", NULL, path))
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-test-compiled-code.R b/tests/testthat/test-test-compiled-code.R
index a02aacf23..d9fba9b2b 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-test-compiled-code.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-test-compiled-code.R
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ test_that("get_routine() finds own 'run_testthat_tests'", {
 })
 
 test_that("get_routine() fails when no routine exists", {
-  expect_error(get_routine("utils", "no_such_routine"))
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, get_routine("utils", "no_such_routine"))
 })
 
 test_that("validates inputs", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-test-env.R b/tests/testthat/test-test-env.R
index cbce82157..f106256bb 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-test-env.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-test-env.R
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ test_that("environment has package name", {
 
 setClass("MyClass")
 test_that("Cannot create S4 class without special behaviour", {
-  expect_error(setClass("MyClass2"), NA)
+  expect_no_error(setClass("MyClass2"))
 })
 
 test_that("is_checking respects env var", {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-test-files.R b/tests/testthat/test-test-files.R
index b5f226bd2..3243f59f9 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-test-files.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-test-files.R
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 test_that("stops on failure", {
   withr::local_envvar(TESTTHAT_PARALLEL = "FALSE")
-  expect_error(
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, {
     test_dir(test_path("test_dir"), reporter = "silent")
-  )
+  })
 })
 
 test_that("runs all tests and records output", {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ test_that("complains if no files", {
   path <- withr::local_tempfile()
   dir.create(path)
 
-  expect_error(test_dir(path), "test files")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, test_dir(path))
 })
 
 test_that("can control if failures generate errors", {
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ test_that("can control if failures generate errors", {
     test_dir(test_path("test-error"), reporter = "silent", ...)
   }
 
-  expect_error(test_error(stop_on_failure = TRUE), "Test failures")
-  expect_error(test_error(stop_on_failure = FALSE), NA)
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, test_error(stop_on_failure = TRUE))
+  expect_no_error(test_error(stop_on_failure = FALSE))
 })
 
 test_that("can control if warnings errors", {
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ test_that("can control if warnings errors", {
     test_dir(test_path("test-warning"), reporter = "silent", ...)
   }
 
-  expect_error(test_warning(stop_on_warning = TRUE), "Tests generated warnings")
-  expect_error(test_warning(stop_on_warning = FALSE), NA)
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, test_warning(stop_on_warning = TRUE))
+  expect_no_error(test_warning(stop_on_warning = FALSE))
 })
 
 # test_file ---------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ test_that("can test single file", {
 })
 
 test_that("complains if file doesn't exist", {
-  expect_error(test_file("DOESNTEXIST"), "does not exist")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, test_file("DOESNTEXIST"))
 })
 
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-verify-output.R b/tests/testthat/test-verify-output.R
index 577ca9cff..79f54cac4 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-verify-output.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-verify-output.R
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ test_that("can record all types of output", {
 
 test_that("can't record plots", {
   skip_if(interactive())
-  expect_error(verify_output(tempfile(), plot(1:10)), "Plots")
+  expect_snapshot(error = TRUE, verify_output(tempfile(), plot(1:10)))
 })
 
 test_that("verify_output() splits condition messages on newlines", {