diff --git a/heatclient/tests/test_common_http.py b/heatclient/tests/test_common_http.py
index 301b6653..a2b4b502 100644
--- a/heatclient/tests/test_common_http.py
+++ b/heatclient/tests/test_common_http.py
@@ -480,8 +480,8 @@ class HttpClientTest(testtools.TestCase):
         self.m.ReplayAll()
         client = http.HTTPClient('http://example.com:8004')
         resp, body = client.json_request('GET', '')
-        self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 200)
-        self.assertEqual(body, {})
+        self.assertEqual(200, resp.status_code)
+        self.assertEqual({}, body)
         self.m.VerifyAll()
 
     def test_http_404_json_request(self):
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ class HttpClientTest(testtools.TestCase):
         self.m.ReplayAll()
 
         ca = http.get_system_ca_file()
-        self.assertEqual(ca, chosen)
+        self.assertEqual(chosen, ca)
 
         self.m.VerifyAll()
 
@@ -627,13 +627,13 @@ class HttpClientTest(testtools.TestCase):
 
     def test_passed_cert_to_verify_cert(self):
         client = http.HTTPClient('https://foo', ca_file="NOWHERE")
-        self.assertEqual(client.verify_cert, "NOWHERE")
+        self.assertEqual("NOWHERE", client.verify_cert)
 
         self.m.StubOutWithMock(http, 'get_system_ca_file')
         http.get_system_ca_file().AndReturn("SOMEWHERE")
         self.m.ReplayAll()
         client = http.HTTPClient('https://foo')
-        self.assertEqual(client.verify_cert, "SOMEWHERE")
+        self.assertEqual("SOMEWHERE", client.verify_cert)
 
     def test_curl_log_i18n_headers(self):
         self.m.StubOutWithMock(logging.Logger, 'debug')
diff --git a/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py b/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
index 951dcad8..bd10db0e 100644
--- a/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
+++ b/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
@@ -293,17 +293,17 @@ class TestGetTemplateContents(testtools.TestCase):
                 template_utils.get_template_contents,
                 tmpl_file.name)
             self.assertEqual(
-                str(ex),
-                'Could not fetch template from file://%s' % tmpl_file.name)
+                'Could not fetch template from file://%s' % tmpl_file.name,
+                str(ex))
 
     def test_get_template_contents_file_none(self):
         ex = self.assertRaises(
             exc.CommandError,
             template_utils.get_template_contents)
         self.assertEqual(
-            str(ex),
             ('Need to specify exactly one of --template-file, '
-             '--template-url or --template-object'))
+             '--template-url or --template-object'),
+            str(ex))
 
     def test_get_template_contents_parse_error(self):
         with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as tmpl_file: