diff --git a/tests/model/DataObjectTest.php b/tests/model/DataObjectTest.php
index 5521c1aa5..9c071564f 100644
--- a/tests/model/DataObjectTest.php
+++ b/tests/model/DataObjectTest.php
@@ -1788,6 +1788,10 @@ class DataObjectTest extends SapphireTest {
         $this->assertEquals(1, $do->DynamicField);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @expectedException PHPUnit_Framework_Error
+     * @expectedExceptionMessageRegExp /parameterised field assignments are disallowed/
+     */
     public function testWriteManipulationWithNonScalarValuesDisallowed()
     {
 
@@ -1797,12 +1801,7 @@ class DataObjectTest extends SapphireTest {
         $do->DynamicScalarOnlyField = true;
         $do->DynamicField = false;
 
-        try {
-            $do->write();
-            $this->fail("Expected exception \"parameterised field assignments are disallowed\"");
-        } catch (Exception $ex) {
-            $this->assertContains('parameterised field assignments are disallowed', $ex->getMessage());
-        }
+        $do->write();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/model/ManyManyListTest.php b/tests/model/ManyManyListTest.php
index 11d3c2b9c..a75c92cc2 100644
--- a/tests/model/ManyManyListTest.php
+++ b/tests/model/ManyManyListTest.php
@@ -324,6 +324,10 @@ class ManyManyListTest extends SapphireTest {
         $this->assertEquals(1, $pivot->ManyManyDynamicField);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @expectedException PHPUnit_Framework_Error
+     * @expectedExceptionMessageRegExp /parameterised field assignments are disallowed/
+     */
     public function testWriteManipulationWithNonScalarValuesDisallowed()
     {
         $left = MockDynamicAssignmentDataObject::create();
@@ -331,16 +335,11 @@ class ManyManyListTest extends SapphireTest {
         $right = MockDynamicAssignmentDataObject::create();
         $right->write();
 
-        try {
-            $left->MockManyMany()->add($right, array(
-                'ManyManyStaticScalarOnlyField' => true,
-                'ManyManyDynamicScalarOnlyField' => false,
-                'ManyManyDynamicField' => true
-            ));
-            $this->fail("Expected exception \"parameterised field assignments are disallowed\"");
-        } catch (Exception $ex) {
-            $this->assertContains('parameterised field assignments are disallowed', $ex->getMessage());
-        }
+        $left->MockManyMany()->add($right, array(
+            'ManyManyStaticScalarOnlyField' => false,
+            'ManyManyDynamicScalarOnlyField' => true,
+            'ManyManyDynamicField' => false
+        ));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/model/Mock/MockDynamicAssignmentDBField.php b/tests/model/Mock/MockDynamicAssignmentDBField.php
index bd82d1700..5949434fd 100644
--- a/tests/model/Mock/MockDynamicAssignmentDBField.php
+++ b/tests/model/Mock/MockDynamicAssignmentDBField.php
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class MockDynamicAssignmentDBField extends Boolean
     private $dynamicAssignment;
 
     /**
-     * @param $name
+     * @param string $name
      * @param boolean $scalarOnly Whether our fake field should be scalar only.
      * @param boolean $dynamicAssignment Whether our fake field will try to do a dynamic assignment.
      */
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class MockDynamicAssignmentDBField extends Boolean
 
     /**
      * If the field value and dynamicAssignment are true, we'll try to do a dynamic assignment
-     * @param $value
+     * @param mixed $value
      * @return array|int|mixed
      */
     public function prepValueForDB($value)