diff --git a/tools/test-backend b/tools/test-backend
index 8f302eca47..ec6b53dc3c 100755
--- a/tools/test-backend
+++ b/tools/test-backend
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ not_yet_fully_covered = {
     'zerver/tests/test_bugdown.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_decorators.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py',
-    'zerver/tests/test_events.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_narrow.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_templates.py',
     'zerver/tests/test_tornado.py',
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_events.py b/zerver/tests/test_events.py
index c1d3873198..fbf7c671a9 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_events.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_events.py
@@ -306,11 +306,11 @@ class EventsRegisterTest(ZulipTestCase):
 
         if state_change_expected:
             if before == after:
-                print(events)
-                raise Exception('Test does not exercise enough code -- events do not change state.')
+                print(events)  # nocoverage
+                raise AssertionError('Test does not exercise enough code -- events do not change state.')
         else:
             if before != after:
-                raise Exception('Test is invalid--state actually does change here.')
+                raise AssertionError('Test is invalid--state actually does change here.')
 
         normal_state = fetch_initial_state_data(self.user_profile, event_types, "", include_subscribers=include_subscribers)
         self.match_states(hybrid_state, normal_state)