diff --git a/test/common/README.md b/test/common/README.md
index 44e9c4e8cde13b..32ca6711573daa 100644
--- a/test/common/README.md
+++ b/test/common/README.md
@@ -51,28 +51,41 @@ Platform normalizes the `dd` command
 Check if there is more than 1gb of total memory.
 
 ### expectsError([fn, ]settings[, exact])
-* `fn` [<Function>]
+* `fn` [<Function>] a function that should throw.
 * `settings` [<Object>]
-  with the following optional properties:
+  that must contain the `code` property plus any of the other following
+  properties (some properties only apply for `AssertionError`):
   * `code` [<String>]
-    expected error must have this value for its `code` property
+    expected error must have this value for its `code` property.
   * `type` [<Function>]
-    expected error must be an instance of `type`
-  * `message` [<String>]
-    or [<RegExp>]
+    expected error must be an instance of `type` and must be an Error subclass.
+  * `message` [<String>] or [<RegExp>]
     if a string is provided for `message`, expected error must have it for its
     `message` property; if a regular expression is provided for `message`, the
-    regular expression must match the `message` property of the expected error
+    regular expression must match the `message` property of the expected error.
+  * `name` [<String>]
+    expected error must have this value for its `name` property.
+  * `generatedMessage` [<String>]
+    (`AssertionError` only) expected error must have this value for its
+    `generatedMessage` property.
+  * `actual` <any>
+    (`AssertionError` only) expected error must have this value for its
+    `actual` property.
+  * `expected` <any>
+    (`AssertionError` only) expected error must have this value for its
+    `expected` property.
+  * `operator` <any>
+    (`AssertionError` only) expected error must have this value for its
+    `operator` property.
 * `exact` [<Number>] default = 1
+* return [<Function>]
 
-* return function suitable for use as a validation function passed as the second
-  argument to e.g. `assert.throws()`. If the returned function has not been
-  called exactly `exact` number of times when the test is complete, then the
-  test will fail.
-
-If `fn` is provided, it will be passed to `assert.throws` as first argument.
-
-The expected error should be [subclassed by the `internal/errors` module](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/doc/guides/using-internal-errors.md#api).
+  If `fn` is provided, it will be passed to `assert.throws` as first argument
+  and `undefined` will be returned.
+  Otherwise a function suitable as callback or for use as a validation function
+  passed as the second argument to `assert.throws()` will be returned. If the
+  returned function has not been called exactly `exact` number of times when the
+  test is complete, then the test will fail.
 
 ### expectWarning(name, expected)
 * `name` [<String>]
diff --git a/test/common/index.js b/test/common/index.js
index 64127e4c338e71..63e94adae5a99f 100644
--- a/test/common/index.js
+++ b/test/common/index.js
@@ -696,24 +696,43 @@ Object.defineProperty(exports, 'hasSmallICU', {
 });
 
 // Useful for testing expected internal/error objects
-exports.expectsError = function expectsError(fn, options, exact) {
+exports.expectsError = function expectsError(fn, settings, exact) {
   if (typeof fn !== 'function') {
-    exact = options;
-    options = fn;
+    exact = settings;
+    settings = fn;
     fn = undefined;
   }
-  const { code, type, message } = options;
   const innerFn = exports.mustCall(function(error) {
-    assert.strictEqual(error.code, code);
-    if (type !== undefined) {
+    assert.strictEqual(error.code, settings.code);
+    if ('type' in settings) {
+      const type = settings.type;
+      if (type !== Error && !Error.isPrototypeOf(type)) {
+        throw new TypeError('`settings.type` must inherit from `Error`');
+      }
       assert(error instanceof type,
-             `${error} is not the expected type ${type}`);
+             `${error.name} is not instance of ${type.name}`);
+    }
+    if ('message' in settings) {
+      const message = settings.message;
+      if (typeof message === 'string') {
+        assert.strictEqual(error.message, message);
+      } else {
+        assert(message.test(error.message),
+               `${error.message} does not match ${message}`);
+      }
     }
-    if (message instanceof RegExp) {
-      assert(message.test(error.message),
-             `${error.message} does not match ${message}`);
-    } else if (typeof message === 'string') {
-      assert.strictEqual(error.message, message);
+    if ('name' in settings) {
+      assert.strictEqual(error.name, settings.name);
+    }
+    if (error.constructor.name === 'AssertionError') {
+      ['generatedMessage', 'actual', 'expected', 'operator'].forEach((key) => {
+        if (key in settings) {
+          const actual = error[key];
+          const expected = settings[key];
+          assert.strictEqual(actual, expected,
+                             `${key}: expected ${expected}, not ${actual}`);
+        }
+      });
     }
     return true;
   }, exact);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
index 4fb99d8fa332e6..a65e7c15f8afc5 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ assert.throws(() => {
   }, common.expectsError({ code: 'TEST_ERROR_1', type: RangeError }));
 }, common.expectsError({
   code: 'ERR_ASSERTION',
-  message: /^.+ is not the expected type \S/
+  message: /^.+ is not instance of \S/
 }));
 
 assert.throws(() => {