diff --git a/tools/coveragerc b/tools/coveragerc
index 4d272b0dba..c8e40dfcaa 100644
--- a/tools/coveragerc
+++ b/tools/coveragerc
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 # Regexes for lines to exclude from consideration
 exclude_lines =
     # Re-enable the standard coverage pragma
-    pragma: no cover
+    nocoverage
     # Don't complain if non-runnable code isn't run:
     if False:
     # Don't require coverage for base class NotImplementedErrors
     raise NotImplementedError()
+    # Don't require coverage for test suite AssertionError -- they're usually for clarity
+    raise AssertionError
     # Don't require coverage for Python 2/3 variations; it's impossible to cover on both
     if six.PY3:
     if six.PY2:
diff --git a/tools/test-backend b/tools/test-backend
index 1a2d2fca05..531795c742 100755
--- a/tools/test-backend
+++ b/tools/test-backend
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ not_yet_fully_covered = {
     'zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_events.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_narrow.py',
-    'zerver/tests/test_signup.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_subs.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_templates.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_tornado.py',
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_signup.py b/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
index f5350f0adb..dcd9f1e00a 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_signup.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class PublicURLTest(ZulipTestCase):
         # 'index.md') to `get_urls['200']` list.
         for doc in os.listdir('./templates/zerver/help'):
             if doc.startswith(".") or '~' in doc or '#' in doc:
-                continue
+                continue  # nocoverage -- just here for convenience
             if doc not in {'main.html', 'index.md', 'include'}:
                 get_urls[200].append('/help/' + os.path.splitext(doc)[0]) # Strip the extension.
 
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ class UserSignUpTest(ZulipTestCase):
                     message.body).groups()[0]
                 break
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
+            raise AssertionError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
 
         result = self.client_get(confirmation_url)
         self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ class UserSignUpTest(ZulipTestCase):
                     message.body).groups()[0]
                 break
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
+            raise AssertionError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
 
         result = self.client_get(confirmation_url)
         self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ class UserSignUpTest(ZulipTestCase):
                     message.body).groups()[0]
                 break
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
+            raise AssertionError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
 
         with self.settings(
                 POPULATE_PROFILE_VIA_LDAP=True,
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ class UserSignUpTest(ZulipTestCase):
                     message.body).groups()[0]
                 break
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
+            raise AssertionError("Couldn't find a confirmation email.")
 
         result = self.client_get(confirmation_url)
         self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)