diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-example-decorate.c b/t/unit-tests/t-example-decorate.c
index a4a75db735..8bf0709c41 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-example-decorate.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-example-decorate.c
@@ -15,36 +15,29 @@ static void t_add(struct test_vars *vars)
 {
 	void *ret = add_decoration(&vars->n, vars->one, &vars->decoration_a);
 
-	if (!check(ret == NULL))
-		test_msg("when adding a brand-new object, NULL should be returned");
+	check(ret == NULL);
 	ret = add_decoration(&vars->n, vars->two, NULL);
-	if (!check(ret == NULL))
-		test_msg("when adding a brand-new object, NULL should be returned");
+	check(ret == NULL);
 }
 
 static void t_readd(struct test_vars *vars)
 {
 	void *ret = add_decoration(&vars->n, vars->one, NULL);
 
-	if (!check(ret == &vars->decoration_a))
-		test_msg("when readding an already existing object, existing decoration should be returned");
+	check(ret == &vars->decoration_a);
 	ret = add_decoration(&vars->n, vars->two, &vars->decoration_b);
-	if (!check(ret == NULL))
-		test_msg("when readding an already existing object, existing decoration should be returned");
+	check(ret == NULL);
 }
 
 static void t_lookup(struct test_vars *vars)
 {
 	void *ret = lookup_decoration(&vars->n, vars->one);
 
-	if (!check(ret == NULL))
-		test_msg("lookup should return added declaration");
+	check(ret == NULL);
 	ret = lookup_decoration(&vars->n, vars->two);
-	if (!check(ret == &vars->decoration_b))
-		test_msg("lookup should return added declaration");
+	check(ret == &vars->decoration_b);
 	ret = lookup_decoration(&vars->n, vars->three);
-	if (!check(ret == NULL))
-		test_msg("lookup for unknown object should return NULL");
+	check(ret == NULL);
 }
 
 static void t_loop(struct test_vars *vars)
@@ -55,8 +48,7 @@ static void t_loop(struct test_vars *vars)
 		if (vars->n.entries[i].base)
 			objects_noticed++;
 	}
-	if (!check_int(objects_noticed, ==, 2))
-		test_msg("should have 2 objects");
+	check_int(objects_noticed, ==, 2);
 }
 
 int cmd_main(int argc UNUSED, const char **argv UNUSED)