diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index ea6e8c832..79130c9bd 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -355,9 +355,18 @@ def random_transaction(nodes, amount, min_fee, fee_increment, fee_variants):
 
     return (txid, signresult["hex"], fee)
 
-def assert_equal(thing1, thing2):
-    if thing1 != thing2:
-        raise AssertionError("%s != %s"%(str(thing1),str(thing2)))
+def assert_equal(expected, actual, message = ""):
+    if expected != actual:
+        if message:
+            message = "%s; " % message 
+        raise AssertionError("%sexpected: <%s> but was: <%s>" % (message, str(expected), str(actual)))
+
+def assert_true(condition, message = ""):
+    if not condition:
+        raise AssertionError(message)
+        
+def assert_false(condition, message = ""):
+    assert_true(not condition, message)
 
 def assert_greater_than(thing1, thing2):
     if thing1 <= thing2: