diff --git a/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_chunk.py b/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_chunk.py
index 175c60d98a2..150ab2a3153 100644
--- a/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_chunk.py
+++ b/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_chunk.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class HttpChunkBlackboxTests(BlackboxTestCase):
         try:
             msg = "snglechunksnglechunksnglechunksnglechunksnglechunk"
             resp = self.check_output("%s -d11 -U%% -I%s --rsize 49 --uri %s" % (COMMAND, os.getenv("SERVER_IP", "localhost"), msg))
-            self.fail(str(e))
+            self.fail("unexpected success")
         except BlackboxProcessError as e:
             if "http_read_chunk: size 50 exceeds max content len 49 skipping body" not in e.stderr.decode('utf-8'):
                 self.fail(str(e))
diff --git a/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_content.py b/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_content.py
index 9ecb6ffe279..3d674aa8db7 100644
--- a/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_content.py
+++ b/python/samba/tests/blackbox/http_content.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class HttpContentBlackboxTests(BlackboxTestCase):
             msg = "012345678" # 9 bytes
             # limit response to 8 bytes
             resp = self.check_output("%s -d11 -U%% -I%s --rsize 8 --uri %s" % (COMMAND, os.getenv("SERVER_IP", "localhost"), msg))
-            self.fail(str(e))
+            self.fail("unexpected success")
         except BlackboxProcessError as e:
             if "unexpected 0 len response" not in e.stdout.decode('utf-8'):
                 self.fail(str(e))