diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Formatter/GelfMessageFormatterTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Formatter/GelfMessageFormatterTest.php
index 9be4b3e6..3d58f58b 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Formatter/GelfMessageFormatterTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Formatter/GelfMessageFormatterTest.php
@@ -86,14 +86,14 @@ class GelfMessageFormatterTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testFormatInvalidFails()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
-
         $formatter = new GelfMessageFormatter();
         $record = [
             'level' => Logger::ERROR,
             'level_name' => 'ERROR',
         ];
 
+        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
+
         $formatter->format($record);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Formatter/NormalizerFormatterTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Formatter/NormalizerFormatterTest.php
index bc918543..1725cd7e 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Formatter/NormalizerFormatterTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Formatter/NormalizerFormatterTest.php
@@ -260,8 +260,6 @@ class NormalizerFormatterTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testThrowsOnInvalidEncoding()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $formatter = new NormalizerFormatter();
         $reflMethod = new \ReflectionMethod($formatter, 'toJson');
         $reflMethod->setAccessible(true);
@@ -269,6 +267,9 @@ class NormalizerFormatterTest extends TestCase
         // send an invalid unicode sequence as a object that can't be cleaned
         $record = new \stdClass;
         $record->message = "\xB1\x31";
+
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $reflMethod->invoke($formatter, $record);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/AbstractProcessingHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/AbstractProcessingHandlerTest.php
index 0d3736d0..7d732b39 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/AbstractProcessingHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/AbstractProcessingHandlerTest.php
@@ -96,8 +96,6 @@ class AbstractProcessingHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testPushPopProcessor()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
-
         $logger = $this->getMockForAbstractClass('Monolog\Handler\AbstractProcessingHandler');
         $processor1 = new WebProcessor;
         $processor2 = new WebProcessor;
@@ -107,6 +105,9 @@ class AbstractProcessingHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->assertEquals($processor2, $logger->popProcessor());
         $this->assertEquals($processor1, $logger->popProcessor());
+
+        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
+
         $logger->popProcessor();
     }
 
@@ -115,10 +116,10 @@ class AbstractProcessingHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testPushProcessorWithNonCallable()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\TypeError::class);
-
         $handler = $this->getMockForAbstractClass('Monolog\Handler\AbstractProcessingHandler');
 
+        $this->expectException(\TypeError::class);
+
         $handler->pushProcessor(new \stdClass());
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticaHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticaHandlerTest.php
index c456ec13..453752f2 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticaHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticaHandlerTest.php
@@ -100,11 +100,12 @@ class ElasticaHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testSetFormatterInvalid()
     {
+        $handler = new ElasticaHandler($this->client);
+        $formatter = new NormalizerFormatter();
+
         $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
         $this->expectExceptionMessage('ElasticaHandler is only compatible with ElasticaFormatter');
 
-        $handler = new ElasticaHandler($this->client);
-        $formatter = new NormalizerFormatter();
         $handler->setFormatter($formatter);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticsearchHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticsearchHandlerTest.php
index 06599e45..2cc982b3 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticsearchHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ElasticsearchHandlerTest.php
@@ -112,11 +112,12 @@ class ElasticsearchHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testSetFormatterInvalid()
     {
+        $handler = new ElasticsearchHandler($this->client);
+        $formatter = new NormalizerFormatter();
+
         $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
         $this->expectExceptionMessage('ElasticsearchHandler is only compatible with ElasticsearchFormatter');
 
-        $handler = new ElasticsearchHandler($this->client);
-        $formatter = new NormalizerFormatter();
         $handler->setFormatter($formatter);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/FilterHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/FilterHandlerTest.php
index db715719..cacbd33a 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/FilterHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/FilterHandlerTest.php
@@ -162,13 +162,14 @@ class FilterHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testHandleWithBadCallbackThrowsException()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $handler = new FilterHandler(
             function ($record, $handler) {
                 return 'foo';
             }
         );
+
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::WARNING));
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/FingersCrossedHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/FingersCrossedHandlerTest.php
index 75dc49af..c649f00d 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/FingersCrossedHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/FingersCrossedHandlerTest.php
@@ -132,11 +132,12 @@ class FingersCrossedHandlerTest extends TestCase
      */
     public function testHandleWithBadCallbackThrowsException()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $handler = new FingersCrossedHandler(function ($record, $handler) {
             return 'foo';
         });
+
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::WARNING));
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/NewRelicHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/NewRelicHandlerTest.php
index e4e4d70b..a02a6efe 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/NewRelicHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/NewRelicHandlerTest.php
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ class NewRelicHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testThehandlerThrowsAnExceptionIfTheNRExtensionIsNotLoaded()
     {
+        $handler = new StubNewRelicHandlerWithoutExtension();
+
         $this->expectException(MissingExtensionException::class);
 
-        $handler = new StubNewRelicHandlerWithoutExtension();
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::ERROR));
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ProcessHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ProcessHandlerTest.php
index c78d5590..fc1aff47 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/ProcessHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/ProcessHandlerTest.php
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class ProcessHandlerTest extends TestCase
             ->method('selectErrorStream')
             ->will($this->returnValue(false));
 
-        $this->expectException('\UnexpectedValueException');
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
         /** @var ProcessHandler $handler */
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::WARNING, 'stream failing, whoops'));
     }
@@ -147,7 +147,9 @@ class ProcessHandlerTest extends TestCase
     public function testStartupWithErrorsThrowsUnexpectedValueException()
     {
         $handler = new ProcessHandler('>&2 echo "some fake error message"');
-        $this->expectException('\UnexpectedValueException');
+
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
+
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::WARNING, 'some warning in the house'));
     }
 
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ class ProcessHandlerTest extends TestCase
             ->method('readProcessErrors')
             ->willReturnOnConsecutiveCalls('', $this->returnValue('some fake error message here'));
 
-        $this->expectException('\UnexpectedValueException');
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
         /** @var ProcessHandler $handler */
         $handler->handle($this->getRecord(Logger::WARNING, 'some test stuff'));
     }
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/SocketHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/SocketHandlerTest.php
index 48a2642a..f1377f07 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/SocketHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/SocketHandlerTest.php
@@ -90,54 +90,57 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testExceptionIsThrownOnFsockopenError()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['fsockopen']);
         $this->handler->expects($this->once())
             ->method('fsockopen')
             ->will($this->returnValue(false));
+
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testExceptionIsThrownOnPfsockopenError()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['pfsockopen']);
         $this->handler->expects($this->once())
             ->method('pfsockopen')
             ->will($this->returnValue(false));
+
         $this->handler->setPersistent(true);
+
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testExceptionIsThrownIfCannotSetTimeout()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['streamSetTimeout']);
         $this->handler->expects($this->once())
             ->method('streamSetTimeout')
             ->will($this->returnValue(false));
+
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testExceptionIsThrownIfCannotSetChunkSize()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(array('streamSetChunkSize'));
         $this->handler->setChunkSize(8192);
         $this->handler->expects($this->once())
             ->method('streamSetChunkSize')
             ->will($this->returnValue(false));
+
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testWriteFailsOnIfFwriteReturnsFalse()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['fwrite']);
 
         $callback = function ($arg) {
@@ -153,13 +156,13 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
             ->method('fwrite')
             ->will($this->returnCallback($callback));
 
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testWriteFailsIfStreamTimesOut()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['fwrite', 'streamGetMetadata']);
 
         $callback = function ($arg) {
@@ -178,13 +181,13 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
             ->method('streamGetMetadata')
             ->will($this->returnValue(['timed_out' => true]));
 
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
     public function testWriteFailsOnIncompleteWrite()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['fwrite', 'streamGetMetadata']);
 
         $res = $this->res;
@@ -201,6 +204,8 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
             ->method('streamGetMetadata')
             ->will($this->returnValue(['timed_out' => false]));
 
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
@@ -255,8 +260,6 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
     public function testAvoidInfiniteLoopWhenNoDataIsWrittenForAWritingTimeoutSeconds()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
-
         $this->setMockHandler(['fwrite', 'streamGetMetadata']);
 
         $this->handler->expects($this->any())
@@ -269,6 +272,8 @@ class SocketHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->handler->setWritingTimeout(1);
 
+        $this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+
         $this->writeRecord('Hello world');
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/Handler/SyslogHandlerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/Handler/SyslogHandlerTest.php
index 550e2105..5479d547 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/Handler/SyslogHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/Handler/SyslogHandlerTest.php
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class SyslogHandlerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
      */
     public function testConstructInvalidFacility()
     {
-        $this->expectException('UnexpectedValueException');
+        $this->expectException(\UnexpectedValueException::class);
         $handler = new SyslogHandler('test', 'unknown');
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/LoggerTest.php b/tests/Monolog/LoggerTest.php
index deaa2c33..0163fafa 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/LoggerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/LoggerTest.php
@@ -142,8 +142,6 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
      */
     public function testPushPopHandler()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
-
         $logger = new Logger(__METHOD__);
         $handler1 = new TestHandler;
         $handler2 = new TestHandler;
@@ -153,6 +151,9 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
 
         $this->assertEquals($handler2, $logger->popHandler());
         $this->assertEquals($handler1, $logger->popHandler());
+
+        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
+
         $logger->popHandler();
     }
 
@@ -186,8 +187,6 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
      */
     public function testPushPopProcessor()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
-
         $logger = new Logger(__METHOD__);
         $processor1 = new WebProcessor;
         $processor2 = new WebProcessor;
@@ -197,6 +196,9 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
 
         $this->assertEquals($processor2, $logger->popProcessor());
         $this->assertEquals($processor1, $logger->popProcessor());
+
+        $this->expectException(\LogicException::class);
+
         $logger->popProcessor();
     }
 
@@ -598,8 +600,6 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
      */
     public function testDefaultHandleException()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\Exception::class);
-
         $logger = new Logger(__METHOD__);
         $handler = $this->getMockBuilder('Monolog\Handler\HandlerInterface')->getMock();
         $handler->expects($this->any())
@@ -610,6 +610,9 @@ class LoggerTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
             ->method('handle')
             ->will($this->throwException(new \Exception('Some handler exception')))
         ;
+
+        $this->expectException(\Exception::class);
+
         $logger->pushHandler($handler);
         $logger->info('test');
     }
diff --git a/tests/Monolog/RegistryTest.php b/tests/Monolog/RegistryTest.php
index b917de86..0ada5ee6 100644
--- a/tests/Monolog/RegistryTest.php
+++ b/tests/Monolog/RegistryTest.php
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ class RegistryTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
      */
     public function testFailsOnUnspecifiedReplacement()
     {
-        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
-
         $log1 = new Logger('test1');
         $log2 = new Logger('test2');
 
         Registry::addLogger($log1, 'log');
 
+        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
+
         Registry::addLogger($log2, 'log');
     }
 }