diff --git a/selftest/resource_test.ok b/selftest/resource_test.ok
index 08989a2d..61474087 100644
--- a/selftest/resource_test.ok
+++ b/selftest/resource_test.ok
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 - expect failure to solve:
 The requested resource requirements are not solvable [[0, 2], [2], [0, 2]]
 - test removing a Resources list from itself
-ok, caused exception: RuntimeError('Refusing to drop a list of resources from itself. This is probably a bug where a list of Resources() should have been copied but is passed as-is. use Resources.clear() instead.',)
+ok, caused exception RuntimeError: Refusing to drop a list of resources from itself. This is probably a bug where a list of Resources() should have been copied but is passed as-is. use Resources.clear() instead.
 - test removing a Resources list from one with the same list in it
 - test resources config and state dir:
 cnf -: DBG: Found config file paths.conf as [PATH]/selftest/conf/paths.conf in ./conf which is [PATH]/selftest/conf
diff --git a/selftest/resource_test.py b/selftest/resource_test.py
index 0b9550e6..3f7cd519 100755
--- a/selftest/resource_test.py
+++ b/selftest/resource_test.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ try:
     r.drop(r)
     assert False
 except RuntimeError as e:
-    print('ok, caused exception: %r' % e)
+    print('ok, caused exception RuntimeError: %s' % str(e))
 
 print('- test removing a Resources list from one with the same list in it')
 r = resource.Resources({ 'k': [ {'a': 1, 'b': 2}, {'a': 3, 'b': 4}, ],
diff --git a/selftest/trial_test.ok b/selftest/trial_test.ok
index 6ad39a97..8c6a5672 100644
--- a/selftest/trial_test.ok
+++ b/selftest/trial_test.ok
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@ third
 None
 - test checksum verification
 - detect wrong checksum
-ok, got RuntimeError("Checksum mismatch for '[PATH]/trial_test/invalid_checksum/file2' vs. '[PATH]/trial_test/invalid_checksum/checksums.md5' line 2",)
+ok, got RuntimeError: Checksum mismatch for '[PATH]/trial_test/invalid_checksum/file2' vs. '[PATH]/trial_test/invalid_checksum/checksums.md5' line 2
 - detect missing file
-ok, got RuntimeError("File listed in checksums file but missing in trials dir: '[PATH]/trial_test/missing_file/file2' vs. '[PATH]/trial_test/missing_file/checksums.md5' line 2",)
+ok, got RuntimeError: File listed in checksums file but missing in trials dir: '[PATH]/trial_test/missing_file/file2' vs. '[PATH]/trial_test/missing_file/checksums.md5' line 2
diff --git a/selftest/trial_test.py b/selftest/trial_test.py
index 41d71e63..a99428ae 100755
--- a/selftest/trial_test.py
+++ b/selftest/trial_test.py
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ t = Trial(d.child('invalid_checksum'))
 try:
     t.verify()
 except RuntimeError as e:
-    print('ok, got %r' % e)
+    print('ok, got RuntimeError: %s' % str(e))
 
 print('- detect missing file')
 t = Trial(d.child('missing_file'))
 try:
     t.verify()
 except RuntimeError as e:
-    print('ok, got %r' % e)
+    print('ok, got RuntimeError: %s' % str(e))
 
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