diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/AndPredicateTest.java b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/AndPredicateTest.java
index 7fc8c072ba..b865591a60 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/AndPredicateTest.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/AndPredicateTest.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
 public class AndPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
@@ -109,11 +108,5 @@ public class AndPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
     assertNotSame(n2, n2.copy(s2));
     assertEquals(s2, n2.copy(s2).getChildren());
     assertEquals(s3, n2.copy(s3).getChildren());
-
-    try {
-      n2.copy(Collections.<Predicate<String>> emptyList());
-    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-      assertEquals("Need at least two predicates", e.getMessage());
-    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/FieldPredicateTest.java b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/FieldPredicateTest.java
index 668791a098..8f16670da4 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/FieldPredicateTest.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/FieldPredicateTest.java
@@ -61,10 +61,8 @@ public class FieldPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
     assertSame(f, f.copy(Collections.<Predicate<String>> emptyList()));
     assertSame(f, f.copy(f.getChildren()));
 
-    try {
-      f.copy(Collections.singleton(f("owner", "bob")));
-    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-      assertEquals("Expected 0 children", e.getMessage());
-    }
+    exception.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
+    exception.expectMessage("Expected 0 children");
+    f.copy(Collections.singleton(f("owner", "bob")));
   }
 }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/NotPredicateTest.java b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/NotPredicateTest.java
index ead002acf0..cec5371b73 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/NotPredicateTest.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/NotPredicateTest.java
@@ -103,16 +103,12 @@ public class NotPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
     assertNotSame(n, n.copy(sb));
     assertEquals(sb, n.copy(sb).getChildren());
 
-    try {
-      n.copy(Collections.<Predicate> emptyList());
-    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-      assertEquals("Expected exactly one child", e.getMessage());
-    }
+    exception.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
+    exception.expectMessage("Expected exactly one child");
+    n.copy(Collections.<Predicate> emptyList());
 
-    try {
-      n.copy(and(a, b).getChildren());
-    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-      assertEquals("Expected exactly one child", e.getMessage());
-    }
+    exception.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
+    exception.expectMessage("Expected exactly one child");
+    n.copy(and(a, b).getChildren());
   }
 }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/OrPredicateTest.java b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/OrPredicateTest.java
index 12c0fe61d2..0b87c735f4 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/OrPredicateTest.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/query/OrPredicateTest.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
 public class OrPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
@@ -109,11 +108,5 @@ public class OrPredicateTest extends PredicateTest {
     assertNotSame(n2, n2.copy(s2));
     assertEquals(s2, n2.copy(s2).getChildren());
     assertEquals(s3, n2.copy(s3).getChildren());
-
-    try {
-      n2.copy(Collections.<Predicate<String>> emptyList());
-    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-      assertEquals("Need at least two predicates", e.getMessage());
-    }
   }
 }