diff --git a/tests/helpers/assertions.hpp b/tests/helpers/assertions.hpp
index 54f700a2..18bcaa03 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/assertions.hpp
+++ b/tests/helpers/assertions.hpp
@@ -3,26 +3,55 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <exception>
 
-#define xlnt_assert(expression) do\
-    {\
-        try { if (expression) break; }\
-        catch (...) {}\
-        throw xlnt::exception("test failed");\
+#define XLNT_STRINGIFYX(x) #x
+#define XLNT_STRINGIFY(x) XLNT_STRINGIFYX(x)
+
+#define xlnt_assert(expression)                                               \
+    do                                                                        \
+    {                                                                         \
+        try                                                                   \
+        {                                                                     \
+            if (expression) break;                                            \
+        }                                                                     \
+        catch (std::exception & ex)                                           \
+        {                                                                     \
+            throw ex;                                                         \
+        }                                                                     \
+        catch (...)                                                           \
+        {                                                                     \
+        }                                                                     \
+        throw xlnt::exception("test failed -> " XLNT_STRINGIFY(expression)); \
     } while (false)
 
-#define xlnt_assert_throws_nothing(expression) do\
-    {\
-	try { expression; break; }\
-	catch (...) {}\
-	throw xlnt::exception("test failed");\
+#define xlnt_assert_throws_nothing(expression)                                \
+    do                                                                        \
+    {                                                                         \
+        try                                                                   \
+        {                                                                     \
+            expression;                                                       \
+            break;                                                            \
+        }                                                                     \
+        catch (...)                                                           \
+        {                                                                     \
+        }                                                                     \
+        throw xlnt::exception("test failed -> " XLNT_STRINGIFY(expression)); \
     } while (false)
 
-#define xlnt_assert_throws(expression, exception_type) do\
-    {\
-	try { expression; }\
-	catch (exception_type) { break; }\
-    catch (...) {}\
-	throw xlnt::exception("test failed");\
+#define xlnt_assert_throws(expression, exception_type)                        \
+    do                                                                        \
+    {                                                                         \
+        try                                                                   \
+        {                                                                     \
+            expression;                                                       \
+        }                                                                     \
+        catch (exception_type)                                                \
+        {                                                                     \
+            break;                                                            \
+        }                                                                     \
+        catch (...)                                                           \
+        {                                                                     \
+        }                                                                     \
+        throw xlnt::exception("test failed -> " XLNT_STRINGIFY(expression)); \
     } while (false)
 
 #define xlnt_assert_equals(left, right) xlnt_assert(left == right)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/test_suite.hpp b/tests/helpers/test_suite.hpp
index 7de32f6e..6083b052 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/test_suite.hpp
+++ b/tests/helpers/test_suite.hpp
@@ -39,9 +39,18 @@ public:
                 std::cout << ".";
                 status.tests_passed++;
             }
+            catch (std::exception &ex)
+            {
+                std::cout << "*\n"
+                          << test.second << " failed with:\n"
+                          << ex.what() << '\n';
+                status.tests_failed++;
+                status.failures.push_back(test.second);
+            }
             catch (...)
             {
-                std::cout << "*";
+                std::cout << "*\n"
+                          << test.second << " failed" << '\n';
                 status.tests_failed++;
                 status.failures.push_back(test.second);
             }