diff --git a/test_requirements.txt b/test_requirements.txt
index 245050f231..9099e0a4e9 100644
--- a/test_requirements.txt
+++ b/test_requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-pytest
+pytest>=5,<6
 pytest-cov
 pytest-asyncio
 aiohttp
diff --git a/tests/io/test_empad.py b/tests/io/test_empad.py
index e0c2667381..2cf8a7a323 100644
--- a/tests/io/test_empad.py
+++ b/tests/io/test_empad.py
@@ -141,9 +141,10 @@ def test_invalid_size():
         scan_size=(4, 5),
     )
     ds = ds.initialize()
-    with pytest.raises(DataSetException) as e:
+    with pytest.raises(DataSetException) as einfo:
         ds.check_valid()
-    assert "invalid filesize" in str(e)
+
+    assert einfo.match("invalid filesize")
 
 
 def test_nonexistent():
@@ -151,9 +152,9 @@ def test_nonexistent():
         path="/does/not/exist.raw",
         scan_size=(4, 4),
     )
-    with pytest.raises(DataSetException) as e:
+    with pytest.raises(DataSetException) as einfo:
         ds = ds.initialize()
-    assert "No such file or directory" in str(e)
+    assert einfo.match("No such file or directory")
 
 
 def test_detect_fail():
diff --git a/tests/test_analysis_base.py b/tests/test_analysis_base.py
index 30114dc769..cf01448e6d 100644
--- a/tests/test_analysis_base.py
+++ b/tests/test_analysis_base.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ def test_result_set():
 
     results = AnalysisResultSet([result])
 
-    with pytest.raises(AttributeError) as e:
+    with pytest.raises(AttributeError) as einfo:
         results.foo
-    assert "not found" in str(e)
-    assert "have: test" in str(e)
+    assert einfo.match("not found")
+    assert einfo.match("have: test")
 
     assert results.test == result
     assert len(results) == 1