diff --git a/test/common/index.js b/test/common/index.js
index df223e051935a8..96e2b12c7a8193 100644
--- a/test/common/index.js
+++ b/test/common/index.js
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ process.on('exit', function() {
   if (!exports.globalCheck) return;
   const leaked = leakedGlobals();
   if (leaked.length > 0) {
-    fail(`Unexpected global(s) found: ${leaked.join(', ')}`);
+    assert.fail(`Unexpected global(s) found: ${leaked.join(', ')}`);
   }
 });
 
@@ -473,14 +473,9 @@ exports.fileExists = function(pathname) {
   }
 };
 
-function fail(msg) {
-  assert.fail(null, null, msg);
-}
-exports.fail = fail;
-
 exports.mustNotCall = function(msg) {
   return function mustNotCall() {
-    fail(msg || 'function should not have been called');
+    assert.fail(msg || 'function should not have been called');
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/test/inspector/inspector-helper.js b/test/inspector/inspector-helper.js
index 17842ffd98961a..7d1f4753b8b331 100644
--- a/test/inspector/inspector-helper.js
+++ b/test/inspector/inspector-helper.js
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ TestSession.prototype.sendInspectorCommands = function(commands) {
     };
     this.sendAll_(commands, () => {
       timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
-        common.fail(`Messages without response: ${
+        assert.fail(`Messages without response: ${
           Object.keys(this.messages_).join(', ')}`);
       }, TIMEOUT);
     });
diff --git a/test/internet/test-dgram-send-cb-quelches-error.js b/test/internet/test-dgram-send-cb-quelches-error.js
index abcc36859b96d9..946b6bbb455325 100644
--- a/test/internet/test-dgram-send-cb-quelches-error.js
+++ b/test/internet/test-dgram-send-cb-quelches-error.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ function callbackOnly(err) {
 }
 
 function onEvent(err) {
-  common.fail('Error should not be emitted if there is callback');
+  assert.fail('Error should not be emitted if there is callback');
 }
 
 function onError(err) {
diff --git a/test/internet/test-dns.js b/test/internet/test-dns.js
index 68365e59c107c3..f922b35ef91080 100644
--- a/test/internet/test-dns.js
+++ b/test/internet/test-dns.js
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ TEST(function test_lookup_all_mixed(done) {
       else if (isIPv6(ip.address))
         assert.strictEqual(ip.family, 6);
       else
-        assert(false);
+        assert.fail('unexpected IP address');
     });
 
     done();
diff --git a/test/internet/test-tls-add-ca-cert.js b/test/internet/test-tls-add-ca-cert.js
index a3b6c72d10dd80..299e01405d7dbd 100644
--- a/test/internet/test-tls-add-ca-cert.js
+++ b/test/internet/test-tls-add-ca-cert.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ tls.connect(opts, fail).on('error', common.mustCall((err) => {
 }));
 
 function fail() {
-  assert(false, 'should fail to connect');
+  assert.fail('should fail to connect');
 }
 
 // New secure contexts have the well-known root CAs.
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event-exit.js b/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event-exit.js
index bd6162a46804bf..227e32d645ac3b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event-exit.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event-exit.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
 
 process.on('beforeExit', function() {
-  common.fail('exit should not allow this to occur');
+  assert.fail('exit should not allow this to occur');
 });
 
 process.exit();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork-and-spawn.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork-and-spawn.js
index b3e7e29f7d9bd0..cc39f0c52d7ac4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork-and-spawn.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork-and-spawn.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ switch (process.argv[2] || '') {
   case 'spawn':
     break;
   default:
-    common.fail();
+    assert.fail();
 }
 
 function checkExit(statusCode) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-stdout-flush-exit.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-stdout-flush-exit.js
index 9db74b51ce5864..b63d9f193a4975 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-stdout-flush-exit.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-stdout-flush-exit.js
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
 
   child.stderr.setEncoding('utf8');
   child.stderr.on('data', function(data) {
-    console.log('parent stderr: ' + data);
-    assert.ok(false);
+    assert.fail(`Unexpected parent stderr: ${data}`);
   });
 
   // check if we receive both 'hello' at start and 'goodbye' at end
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-cluster-send-handle-twice.js b/test/parallel/test-cluster-send-handle-twice.js
index d4a6e0be2a200f..e16684fd382c90 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-cluster-send-handle-twice.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-cluster-send-handle-twice.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ if (cluster.isMaster) {
     setTimeout(function() { client.end(); }, 50);
   }).on('error', function(e) {
     console.error(e);
-    common.fail('server.listen failed');
+    assert.fail('server.listen failed');
     cluster.worker.disconnect();
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-domain-uncaught-exception.js b/test/parallel/test-domain-uncaught-exception.js
index 0d50e999ec63bf..b4a3d0d1d92b29 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-domain-uncaught-exception.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-domain-uncaught-exception.js
@@ -184,15 +184,16 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
       test.expectedMessages.forEach(function(expectedMessage) {
         if (test.messagesReceived === undefined ||
           test.messagesReceived.indexOf(expectedMessage) === -1)
-          assert(false, `test ${test.fn.name} should have sent message: ${
-            expectedMessage} but didn't`);
+          assert.fail('test ' + test.fn.name + ' should have sent message: ' +
+                      expectedMessage + ' but didn\'t');
       });
 
       if (test.messagesReceived) {
         test.messagesReceived.forEach(function(receivedMessage) {
-          if (!test.expectedMessages.includes(receivedMessage)) {
-            assert(false, `test ${test.fn.name} should not have sent message: ${
-              receivedMessage} but did`);
+          if (test.expectedMessages.indexOf(receivedMessage) === -1) {
+            assert.fail('test ' + test.fn.name +
+                        ' should not have sent message: ' + receivedMessage +
+                        ' but did');
           }
         });
       }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
index ffeb4b0349637f..a1db5d4ba8ac99 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ const EventEmitter = require('events');
   });
 
   ee.on('hello', hello);
-  ee.once('foo', common.fail);
+  ee.once('foo', assert.fail);
   assert.deepStrictEqual(['hello', 'foo'], events_new_listener_emited);
-  assert.deepStrictEqual([hello, common.fail], listeners_new_listener_emited);
+  assert.deepStrictEqual([hello, assert.fail], listeners_new_listener_emited);
 
   ee.emit('hello', 'a', 'b');
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-listeners-side-effects.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-listeners-side-effects.js
index 022750da406500..8d75bfeebb4e1c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-listeners-side-effects.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-listeners-side-effects.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 
 const EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter;
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@ assert.strictEqual(fl.length, 0);
 assert(!(e._events instanceof Object));
 assert.deepStrictEqual(Object.keys(e._events), []);
 
-e.on('foo', common.fail);
+e.on('foo', assert.fail);
 fl = e.listeners('foo');
-assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo, common.fail);
+assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo, assert.fail);
 assert(Array.isArray(fl));
 assert.strictEqual(fl.length, 1);
-assert.strictEqual(fl[0], common.fail);
+assert.strictEqual(fl[0], assert.fail);
 
 e.listeners('bar');
 
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ fl = e.listeners('foo');
 
 assert(Array.isArray(e._events.foo));
 assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo.length, 2);
-assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo[0], common.fail);
+assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo[0], assert.fail);
 assert.strictEqual(e._events.foo[1], assert.ok);
 
 assert(Array.isArray(fl));
 assert.strictEqual(fl.length, 2);
-assert.strictEqual(fl[0], common.fail);
+assert.strictEqual(fl[0], assert.fail);
 assert.strictEqual(fl[1], assert.ok);
 
 console.log('ok');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
index c23a6c6769c0e6..e0f7851d74c504 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ e.emit('hello', 'a', 'b');
 e.emit('hello', 'a', 'b');
 
 function remove() {
-  common.fail('once->foo should not be emitted');
+  assert.fail('once->foo should not be emitted');
 }
 
 e.once('foo', remove);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
index 727523eabdb29a..ed28bc7308ea9c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ function listener2() {}
   const ee = new EventEmitter();
 
   function remove1() {
-    common.fail('remove1 should not have been called');
+    assert.fail('remove1 should not have been called');
   }
 
   function remove2() {
-    common.fail('remove2 should not have been called');
+    assert.fail('remove2 should not have been called');
   }
 
   ee.on('removeListener', common.mustCall(function(name, cb) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-exception-handler2.js b/test/parallel/test-exception-handler2.js
index 23d78d838ad76f..a4e140ce7578aa 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-exception-handler2.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-exception-handler2.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
 
 process.on('uncaughtException', function(err) {
   console.log(`Caught exception: ${err}`);
@@ -11,4 +12,4 @@ setTimeout(common.mustCall(function() {
 
 // Intentionally cause an exception, but don't catch it.
 nonexistentFunc(); // eslint-disable-line no-undef
-common.fail('This will not run.');
+assert.fail('This will not run.');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
index 083461a4d7bcee..e32734b55c3844 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ fs.open('.', 'r', undefined, common.mustCall(function(err, fd) {
   try {
     stats = fs.fstatSync(fd);
   } catch (err) {
-    common.fail(err);
+    assert.fail(err);
   }
   if (stats) {
     console.dir(stats);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream.js
index a3ba0377e2e26e..b4f370ddbe4bb1 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ common.refreshTmpDir();
   const stream = fs.createWriteStream(file);
 
   stream.on('drain', function() {
-    common.fail('\'drain\' event must not be emitted before ' +
+    assert.fail('\'drain\' event must not be emitted before ' +
                 'stream.write() has been called at least once.');
   });
   stream.destroy();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-global-console-exists.js b/test/parallel/test-global-console-exists.js
index fe77d42630c2c8..231418d3c15fb6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-global-console-exists.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-global-console-exists.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const EventEmitter = require('events');
 const leak_warning = /EventEmitter memory leak detected\. 2 hello listeners/;
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ process.stderr.write = (data) => {
   if (write_calls === 0)
     assert.ok(leak_warning.test(data));
   else
-    common.fail('stderr.write should be called only once');
+    assert.fail('stderr.write should be called only once');
 
   write_calls++;
 };
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-createConnection.js b/test/parallel/test-http-createConnection.js
index 279d7022795318..68010f044548fb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-createConnection.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-createConnection.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const server = http.createServer(common.mustCall(function(req, res) {
           res.resume();
           fn = common.mustCall(createConnectionError);
           http.get({ createConnection: fn }, function(res) {
-            common.fail('Unexpected response callback');
+            assert.fail('Unexpected response callback');
           }).on('error', common.mustCall(function(err) {
             assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'Could not create socket');
             server.close();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-invalid-path-chars.js b/test/parallel/test-http-invalid-path-chars.js
index 462e0bc12a0a3f..6aedf430a156cf 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-invalid-path-chars.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-invalid-path-chars.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const http = require('http');
 
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const theExperimentallyDeterminedNumber = 39;
 
 function fail(path) {
   assert.throws(() => {
-    http.request({ path }, common.fail);
+    http.request({ path }, assert.fail);
   }, expectedError);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-localaddress-bind-error.js b/test/parallel/test-http-localaddress-bind-error.js
index 99c0bac89be2ab..297859e13b24f3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-localaddress-bind-error.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-localaddress-bind-error.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
 const http = require('http');
 
 const invalidLocalAddress = '1.2.3.4';
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', common.mustCall(function() {
     method: 'GET',
     localAddress: invalidLocalAddress
   }, function(res) {
-    common.fail('unexpectedly got response from server');
+    assert.fail('unexpectedly got response from server');
   }).on('error', common.mustCall(function(e) {
     console.log(`client got error: ${e.message}`);
     server.close();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js b/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
index 2a4b0dc6c1c99b..7e1583dcbb92f8 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ const s = http.createServer(function(req, res) {
       res.setHeader('x-foo', 'keyboard cat');
       res.writeHead(200, { 'x-foo': 'bar', 'x-bar': 'baz' });
       break;
+    default:
+      assert.fail('Unknown test');
   }
 
   res.statusCode = 201;
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ function nextTest() {
         break;
 
       default:
-        throw new Error('?');
+        assert.fail('Unknown test');
     }
 
     response.setEncoding('utf8');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-response-multi-content-length.js b/test/parallel/test-http-response-multi-content-length.js
index f3dce208756f74..c915cb1d531808 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-response-multi-content-length.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-response-multi-content-length.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
       res.writeHead(200, {'content-length': [1, 2]});
       break;
     default:
-      common.fail('should never get here');
+      assert.fail('should never get here');
   }
   res.end('ok');
 });
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(() => {
     http.get(
       {port: server.address().port, headers: {'x-num': n}},
       (res) => {
-        assert(false, 'client allowed multiple content-length headers.');
+        assert.fail('client allowed multiple content-length headers.');
       }
     ).on('error', common.mustCall((err) => {
       assert(/^Parse Error/.test(err.message));
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-response-splitting.js b/test/parallel/test-http-response-splitting.js
index e6927bc1e63f77..aebb6b813be35e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-response-splitting.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-response-splitting.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const http = require('http');
 const net = require('net');
 const url = require('url');
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
       test(res, 200, {'foo': y});
       break;
     default:
-      common.fail('should not get to here.');
+      assert.fail('should not get to here.');
   }
   if (count === 3)
     server.close();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-response-status-message.js b/test/parallel/test-http-response-status-message.js
index d4dd9a60e73801..0c3d329ff57fdd 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-response-status-message.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-response-status-message.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ testCases.findByPath = function(path) {
     return testCase.path === path;
   });
   if (matching.length === 0) {
-    throw 'failed to find test case with path ' + path;
+    assert.fail(`failed to find test case with path ${path}`);
   }
   return matching[0];
 };
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-server-reject-chunked-with-content-length.js b/test/parallel/test-http-server-reject-chunked-with-content-length.js
index 7fc76761b318ac..8f77217e2b0a1b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-server-reject-chunked-with-content-length.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-server-reject-chunked-with-content-length.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ server.listen(0, () => {
   client.on('data', (data) => {
     // Should not get to this point because the server should simply
     // close the connection without returning any data.
-    common.fail('no data should be returned by the server');
+    assert.fail('no data should be returned by the server');
   });
   client.on('end', common.mustCall(() => {}));
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-unix-socket.js b/test/parallel/test-http-unix-socket.js
index f9308d86325cd1..346726ee4d06ff 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-unix-socket.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-unix-socket.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ server.listen(common.PIPE, common.mustCall(function() {
   }));
 
   req.on('error', function(e) {
-    common.fail(e.stack);
+    assert.fail(e.stack);
   });
 
   req.end();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-localaddress-bind-error.js b/test/parallel/test-https-localaddress-bind-error.js
index 30fe4860e4004f..5ce723689f0647 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-localaddress-bind-error.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-localaddress-bind-error.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const common = require('../common');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
+const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const https = require('https');
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', common.mustCall(function() {
     method: 'GET',
     localAddress: invalidLocalAddress
   }, function(res) {
-    common.fail('unexpectedly got response from server');
+    assert.fail('unexpectedly got response from server');
   }).on('error', common.mustCall(function(e) {
     console.log(`client got error: ${e.message}`);
     server.close();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-error-twice.js b/test/parallel/test-net-error-twice.js
index 3c25d1c98ed346..e3cba2c362ea1e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-error-twice.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-error-twice.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const srv = net.createServer(function onConnection(conn) {
   conn.on('error', function(err) {
     errs.push(err);
     if (errs.length > 1 && errs[0] === errs[1])
-      assert(false, 'We should not be emitting the same error twice');
+      assert.fail('Should not emit the same error twice');
   });
   conn.on('close', function() {
     srv.unref();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-pipe-connect-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-net-pipe-connect-errors.js
index 16e60a2525bd33..25e9fa3d519fb7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-pipe-connect-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-pipe-connect-errors.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if (common.isWindows) {
 }
 
 const notSocketClient = net.createConnection(emptyTxt, function() {
-  common.fail('connection callback should not run');
+  assert.fail('connection callback should not run');
 });
 
 notSocketClient.on('error', common.mustCall(function(err) {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ notSocketClient.on('error', common.mustCall(function(err) {
 
 // Trying to connect to not-existing socket should result in ENOENT error
 const noEntSocketClient = net.createConnection('no-ent-file', function() {
-  common.fail('connection to non-existent socket, callback should not run');
+  assert.fail('connection to non-existent socket, callback should not run');
 });
 
 noEntSocketClient.on('error', common.mustCall(function(err) {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ if (!common.isWindows && process.getuid() !== 0) {
     fs.chmodSync(common.PIPE, 0);
 
     const accessClient = net.createConnection(common.PIPE, function() {
-      common.fail('connection should get EACCES, callback should not run');
+      assert.fail('connection should get EACCES, callback should not run');
     });
 
     accessClient.on('error', common.mustCall(function(err) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-server-max-connections-close-makes-more-available.js b/test/parallel/test-net-server-max-connections-close-makes-more-available.js
index f7ab54b7b83b48..db7e1692ab66f7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-server-max-connections-close-makes-more-available.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-server-max-connections-close-makes-more-available.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 
 const net = require('net');
@@ -86,5 +86,5 @@ process.on('exit', function() {
 
 process.on('unhandledRejection', function() {
   console.error('promise rejected');
-  common.fail('A promise in the chain rejected');
+  assert.fail('A promise in the chain rejected');
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-server-pause-on-connect.js b/test/parallel/test-net-server-pause-on-connect.js
index 90206982d5dcca..11bea9e29404bd 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-server-pause-on-connect.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-server-pause-on-connect.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ let server1Sock;
 const server1ConnHandler = (socket) => {
   socket.on('data', function(data) {
     if (stopped) {
-      common.fail('data event should not have happened yet');
+      assert.fail('data event should not have happened yet');
     }
 
     assert.strictEqual(data.toString(), msg, 'invalid data received');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-write-slow.js b/test/parallel/test-net-write-slow.js
index c1b2c60e2e202a..b7b0c9b7192a2d 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-write-slow.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-write-slow.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const server = net.createServer(function(socket) {
   socket.setNoDelay();
   socket.setTimeout(9999);
   socket.on('timeout', function() {
-    common.fail(`flushed: ${flushed}, received: ${received}/${SIZE * N}`);
+    assert.fail(`flushed: ${flushed}, received: ${received}/${SIZE * N}`);
   });
 
   for (let i = 0; i < N; ++i) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-next-tick-when-exiting.js b/test/parallel/test-next-tick-when-exiting.js
index 1bb4c914d01869..b64befa8578579 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-next-tick-when-exiting.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-next-tick-when-exiting.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 
 process.on('exit', () => {
   assert.strictEqual(process._exiting, true, 'process._exiting was not set!');
 
   process.nextTick(() => {
-    common.fail('process is exiting, should not be called.');
+    assert.fail('process is exiting, should not be called.');
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-exit-from-before-exit.js b/test/parallel/test-process-exit-from-before-exit.js
index e3c3ab208f7814..6e47bd8426dcfa 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-exit-from-before-exit.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-exit-from-before-exit.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
 
 process.on('beforeExit', common.mustCall(function() {
   setTimeout(common.mustNotCall(), 5);
   process.exit(0);  // Should execute immediately even if we schedule new work.
-  common.fail();
+  assert.fail();
 }));
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-no-deprecation.js b/test/parallel/test-process-no-deprecation.js
index 9185f8beb58bd6..50b62b5f39e918 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-no-deprecation.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-no-deprecation.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ process.noDeprecation = true;
 const assert = require('assert');
 
 function listener() {
-  common.fail('received unexpected warning');
+  assert.fail('received unexpected warning');
 }
 
 process.addListener('warning', listener);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-promises-unhandled-rejections.js b/test/parallel/test-promises-unhandled-rejections.js
index b38d16a40f0f66..03e7f00c1e837b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-promises-unhandled-rejections.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-promises-unhandled-rejections.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const domain = require('domain');
 
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ asyncTest('Catching a promise rejection after setImmediate is not' +
   });
   _reject(e);
   setImmediate(function() {
-    promise.then(common.fail, () => {});
+    promise.then(assert.fail, () => {});
   });
 });
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ asyncTest('When re-throwing new errors in a promise catch, only the' +
     assert.strictEqual(e2, reason);
     assert.strictEqual(promise2, promise);
   });
-  let promise2 = Promise.reject(e).then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+  const promise2 = Promise.reject(e).then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
     assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
     throw e2;
   });
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ asyncTest('When re-throwing new errors in a promise catch, only the ' +
     setTimeout(function() {
       reject(e);
     }, 1);
-  }).then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+  }).then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
     assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
     throw e2;
   });
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ asyncTest('When re-throwing new errors in a promise catch, only the re-thrown' +
     setTimeout(function() {
       reject(e);
       process.nextTick(function() {
-        promise2 = promise.then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+        promise2 = promise.then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
           assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
           throw e2;
         });
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ asyncTest(
   function(done) {
     const e = new Error();
     onUnhandledFail(done);
-    Promise.reject(e).then(common.fail, () => {});
+    Promise.reject(e).then(assert.fail, () => {});
   }
 );
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ asyncTest(
     onUnhandledFail(done);
     new Promise(function(_, reject) {
       reject(e);
-    }).then(common.fail, () => {});
+    }).then(assert.fail, () => {});
   }
 );
 
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ asyncTest('Attaching a promise catch in a process.nextTick is soon enough to' +
   onUnhandledFail(done);
   const promise = Promise.reject(e);
   process.nextTick(function() {
-    promise.then(common.fail, () => {});
+    promise.then(assert.fail, () => {});
   });
 });
 
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ asyncTest('Attaching a promise catch in a process.nextTick is soon enough to' +
     reject(e);
   });
   process.nextTick(function() {
-    promise.then(common.fail, () => {});
+    promise.then(assert.fail, () => {});
   });
 });
 
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ asyncTest('catching a promise which is asynchronously rejected (via' +
         reject(e);
       }, 1);
     });
-  }).then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+  }).then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
     assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
   });
 });
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ asyncTest('Catching a rejected promise derived from throwing in a' +
   onUnhandledFail(done);
   Promise.resolve().then(function() {
     throw e;
-  }).then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+  }).then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
     assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
   });
 });
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ asyncTest('Catching a rejected promise derived from returning a' +
   onUnhandledFail(done);
   Promise.resolve().then(function() {
     return Promise.reject(e);
-  }).then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+  }).then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
     assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
   });
 });
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ asyncTest('Catching the Promise.all() of a collection that includes a' +
           'rejected promise prevents unhandledRejection', function(done) {
   const e = new Error();
   onUnhandledFail(done);
-  Promise.all([Promise.reject(e)]).then(common.fail, () => {});
+  Promise.all([Promise.reject(e)]).then(assert.fail, () => {});
 });
 
 asyncTest(
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ asyncTest(
     });
     p = Promise.all([p]);
     process.nextTick(function() {
-      p.then(common.fail, () => {});
+      p.then(assert.fail, () => {});
     });
   }
 );
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ asyncTest('Waiting setTimeout(, 10) to catch a promise causes an' +
     throw e;
   });
   setTimeout(function() {
-    thePromise.then(common.fail, function(reason) {
+    thePromise.then(assert.fail, function(reason) {
       assert.strictEqual(e, reason);
     });
   }, 10);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-spawn-cmd-named-pipe.js b/test/parallel/test-spawn-cmd-named-pipe.js
index f586d5be0c81fd..4a19e3e1d7f41e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-spawn-cmd-named-pipe.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-spawn-cmd-named-pipe.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ if (!process.argv[2]) {
 
   const comspec = process.env['comspec'];
   if (!comspec || comspec.length === 0) {
-    common.fail('Failed to get COMSPEC');
+    assert.fail('Failed to get COMSPEC');
   }
 
   const args = ['/c', process.execPath, __filename, 'child',
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-stream2-base64-single-char-read-end.js b/test/parallel/test-stream2-base64-single-char-read-end.js
index 0f5b9c8f892631..7bf09569410fa1 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-stream2-base64-single-char-read-end.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-stream2-base64-single-char-read-end.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const R = require('_stream_readable');
 const W = require('_stream_writable');
 const assert = require('assert');
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@ src.on('end', function() {
 src.pipe(dst);
 
 timeout = setTimeout(function() {
-  common.fail('timed out waiting for _write');
+  assert.fail('timed out waiting for _write');
 }, 100);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-empty-sni-context.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-empty-sni-context.js
index 3f39d6e8c1091a..9a8e3449f0cbea 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-empty-sni-context.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-empty-sni-context.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const options = {
 };
 
 const server = tls.createServer(options, (c) => {
-  common.fail('Should not be called');
+  assert.fail('Should not be called');
 }).on('tlsClientError', common.mustCall((err, c) => {
   assert(/SSL_use_certificate:passed a null parameter/i.test(err.message));
   server.close();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-session-cache.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-session-cache.js
index a1e6a615ae662f..d4c41518a35b5f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-session-cache.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-session-cache.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ function doTest(testOptions, callback) {
             spawnClient();
             return;
           }
-          common.fail(`code: ${code}, signal: ${signal}, output: ${err}`);
+          assert.fail(`code: ${code}, signal: ${signal}, output: ${err}`);
         }
         assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
         server.close(common.mustCall(function() {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
index 7ef53e562c42d0..2f3ef367328f9e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const util = require('util');
 const vm = require('vm');
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ for (const showHidden of [true, false]) {
     );
   if (out !== '{ [hidden]: 2, visible: 1 }' &&
       out !== '{ visible: 1, [hidden]: 2 }') {
-    common.fail(`unexpected value for out ${out}`);
+    assert.fail(`unexpected value for out ${out}`);
   }
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ for (const showHidden of [true, false]) {
                                            hidden: {value: 'secret'}}), true);
   if (out !== "{ [hidden]: 'secret', name: 'Tim' }" &&
       out !== "{ name: 'Tim', [hidden]: 'secret' }") {
-    common.fail(`unexpected value for out ${out}`);
+    assert.fail(`unexpected value for out ${out}`);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-debug-context.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-debug-context.js
index 313b9f4bcae6ab..032d16142e280e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-debug-context.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-debug-context.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ assert.throws(function() {
 }, /SyntaxError/);
 
 assert.throws(function() {
-  vm.runInDebugContext({ toString: common.fail });
+  vm.runInDebugContext({ toString: assert.fail });
 }, /AssertionError/);
 
 assert.throws(function() {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-message.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-message.js
index 5a16239f5653e9..600b1d5097060c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-message.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-message.js
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ const p = child_process.spawn(process.execPath, [
       'catch (e) { console.log(e.message); }'
 ]);
 
-p.stderr.on('data', common.mustNotCall());
+p.stderr.on('data', function(data) {
+  assert.fail(`Unexpected stderr data: ${data}`);
+});
 
 let output = '';
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-stderr.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-stderr.js
index e40edc907c6639..a5b98beebfef08 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-stderr.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-syntax-error-stderr.js
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ const p = child_process.spawn(process.execPath, [
   wrong_script
 ]);
 
-p.stdout.on('data', common.mustNotCall());
+p.stdout.on('data', function(data) {
+  assert.fail(`Unexpected stdout data: ${data}`);
+});
 
 let output = '';