diff --git a/test/units/modules/cloud/amazon/test_cloudformation.py b/test/units/modules/cloud/amazon/test_cloudformation.py
index 6c1e6588667..d472169dd95 100644
--- a/test/units/modules/cloud/amazon/test_cloudformation.py
+++ b/test/units/modules/cloud/amazon/test_cloudformation.py
@@ -86,8 +86,10 @@ def test_invalid_template_json(placeboify):
         'TemplateBody': bad_json_tpl,
     }
     m = FakeModule(disable_rollback=False)
-    with pytest.raises(Exception, message='Malformed JSON should cause the test to fail') as exc_info:
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
         cfn_module.create_stack(m, params, connection, default_events_limit)
+        pytest.fail('Expected malformed JSON to have caused the call to fail')
+
     assert exc_info.match('FAIL')
     assert "ValidationError" in m.exit_kwargs['msg']
 
@@ -139,13 +141,15 @@ def test_get_nonexistent_stack(placeboify):
 
 def test_missing_template_body():
     m = FakeModule()
-    with pytest.raises(Exception, message='Expected module to fail with no template') as exc_info:
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
         cfn_module.create_stack(
             module=m,
             stack_params={},
             cfn=None,
             events_limit=default_events_limit
         )
+        pytest.fail('Expected module to have failed with no template')
+
     assert exc_info.match('FAIL')
     assert not m.exit_args
     assert "Either 'template', 'template_body' or 'template_url' is required when the stack does not exist." == m.exit_kwargs['msg']
@@ -156,13 +160,15 @@ def test_disable_rollback_and_on_failure_defined():
         on_create_failure='DELETE',
         disable_rollback=True,
     )
-    with pytest.raises(Exception, message='Expected module to fail with both on_create_failure and disable_rollback defined') as exc_info:
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
         cfn_module.create_stack(
             module=m,
             stack_params={'TemplateBody': ''},
             cfn=None,
             events_limit=default_events_limit
         )
+        pytest.fail('Expected module to fail with both on_create_failure and disable_rollback defined')
+
     assert exc_info.match('FAIL')
     assert not m.exit_args
     assert "You can specify either 'on_create_failure' or 'disable_rollback', but not both." == m.exit_kwargs['msg']
diff --git a/test/units/parsing/test_metadata.py b/test/units/parsing/test_metadata.py
index 66223385675..a82fc8047d0 100644
--- a/test/units/parsing/test_metadata.py
+++ b/test/units/parsing/test_metadata.py
@@ -214,12 +214,12 @@ def test_string_metadata(code, expected):
 
 
 def test_required_params():
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, message='One of module_ast or module_data must be given'):
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match='One of module_ast or module_data must be given'):
         assert md.extract_metadata()
 
 
 def test_module_data_param_given_with_offset():
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, message='If offsets is True then module_data must also be given'):
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match='If offsets is True then module_data must also be given'):
         assert md.extract_metadata(module_ast='something', offsets=True)
 
 
@@ -227,13 +227,13 @@ def test_invalid_dict_metadata():
     with pytest.raises(SyntaxError):
         assert md.extract_metadata(module_data=LICENSE + FUTURE_IMPORTS + b'ANSIBLE_METADATA={"metadata_version": "1.1",\n' + REGULAR_IMPORTS)
 
-    with pytest.raises(md.ParseError, message='Unable to find the end of dictionary'):
+    with pytest.raises(md.ParseError, match='Unable to find the end of dictionary'):
         assert md.extract_metadata(module_ast=ast.parse(LICENSE + FUTURE_IMPORTS + b'ANSIBLE_METADATA={"metadata_version": "1.1"}\n' + REGULAR_IMPORTS),
                                    module_data=LICENSE + FUTURE_IMPORTS + b'ANSIBLE_METADATA={"metadata_version": "1.1",\n' + REGULAR_IMPORTS,
                                    offsets=True)
 
 
 def test_multiple_statements_limitation():
-    with pytest.raises(md.ParseError, message='Multiple statements per line confuses the module metadata parser.'):
+    with pytest.raises(md.ParseError, match='Multiple statements per line confuses the module metadata parser.'):
         assert md.extract_metadata(module_data=LICENSE + FUTURE_IMPORTS + b'ANSIBLE_METADATA={"metadata_version": "1.1"}; a=b\n' + REGULAR_IMPORTS,
                                    offsets=True)
diff --git a/test/units/plugins/filter/test_mathstuff.py b/test/units/plugins/filter/test_mathstuff.py
index f8bba423a67..36fd768b2c7 100644
--- a/test/units/plugins/filter/test_mathstuff.py
+++ b/test/units/plugins/filter/test_mathstuff.py
@@ -78,9 +78,10 @@ class TestMax:
 
 class TestLogarithm:
     def test_log_non_number(self):
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='log() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        # Message changed in python3.6
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match='log\\(\\) can only be used on numbers: (a float is required|must be real number, not str)'):
             ms.logarithm('a')
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='log() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match='log\\(\\) can only be used on numbers: (a float is required|must be real number, not str)'):
             ms.logarithm(10, base='a')
 
     def test_log_ten(self):
@@ -96,10 +97,10 @@ class TestLogarithm:
 
 class TestPower:
     def test_power_non_number(self):
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='pow() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match='pow\\(\\) can only be used on numbers: (a float is required|must be real number, not str)'):
             ms.power('a', 10)
 
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='pow() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match='pow\\(\\) can only be used on numbers: (a float is required|must be real number, not str)'):
             ms.power(10, 'a')
 
     def test_power_squared(self):
@@ -111,10 +112,13 @@ class TestPower:
 
 class TestInversePower:
     def test_root_non_number(self):
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='root() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        # Message changed in python3.6
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match="root\\(\\) can only be used on numbers:"
+                           " (could not convert string to float: a"
+                           "|could not convert string to float: 'a')"):
             ms.inversepower(10, 'a')
 
-        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, message='root() can only be used on numbers: a float is required'):
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFilterError, match="root\\(\\) can only be used on numbers: (a float is required|must be real number, not str)"):
             ms.inversepower('a', 10)
 
     def test_square_root(self):