diff --git a/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php b/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
index 8715fc810e1..a9377bfc818 100644
--- a/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
+++ b/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
@@ -440,13 +440,12 @@ trait behat_session_trait {
         if ($containerselectortype === 'NodeElement' && is_a($containerelement, NodeElement::class)) {
             // Support a NodeElement being passed in for use in step chaining.
             $containernode = $containerelement;
-            $locatorexceptionmsg = $element;
         } else {
             // Gets the container, it will always be text based.
             $containernode = $this->get_text_selector_node($containerselectortype, $containerelement);
-            $locatorexceptionmsg = $element . '" in the "' . $containerelement. '" "' . $containerselectortype. '"';
         }
 
+        $locatorexceptionmsg = $element . '" in the "' . $this->get_selector_description($containerselectortype, $containerelement);
         $exception = new ElementNotFoundException($this->getSession(), $selectortype, null, $locatorexceptionmsg);
 
         return $this->find($selectortype, $element, $exception, $containernode);
diff --git a/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php b/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
index 6e1e26f8a13..dbce60b922d 100644
--- a/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
+++ b/lib/tests/behat/behat_general.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../behat/behat_base.php');
 
 use Behat\Gherkin\Node\TableNode;
+use Behat\Mink\Element\NodeElement;
 use Behat\Mink\Exception\DriverException;
 use Behat\Mink\Exception\ElementNotFoundException;
 use Behat\Mink\Exception\ExpectationException;
@@ -1217,20 +1218,12 @@ EOF;
      * @throws ElementNotFoundException Thrown by behat_base::find
      * @param string $element The locator of the specified selector
      * @param string $selectortype The selector type
-     * @param string $containerelement The container selector type
-     * @param string $containerselectortype The container locator
+     * @param NodeElement|string $containerelement The locator of the container selector
+     * @param string $containerselectortype The container selector type
      */
     public function should_exist_in_the($element, $selectortype, $containerelement, $containerselectortype) {
-        // Get the container node.
-        $containernode = $this->find($containerselectortype, $containerelement);
-
-        // Specific exception giving info about where can't we find the element.
-        $containerdescription = $this->get_selector_description($containerselectortype, $containerelement);
-        $locatorexceptionmsg = "{$element} not found in the {$containerdescription}}";
-        $exception = new ElementNotFoundException($this->getSession(), $selectortype, null, $locatorexceptionmsg);
-
-        // Looks for the requested node inside the container node.
-        $this->find($selectortype, $element, $exception, $containernode);
+        // Will throw an ElementNotFoundException if it does not exist.
+        $this->get_node_in_container($selectortype, $element, $containerselectortype, $containerelement);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1242,8 +1235,8 @@ EOF;
      * @throws ExpectationException
      * @param string $element The locator of the specified selector
      * @param string $selectortype The selector type
-     * @param string $containerelement The container selector type
-     * @param string $containerselectortype The container locator
+     * @param NodeElement|string $containerelement The locator of the container selector
+     * @param string $containerselectortype The container selector type
      */
     public function should_not_exist_in_the($element, $selectortype, $containerelement, $containerselectortype) {
         // Get the container node.
diff --git a/mod/quiz/tests/behat/quiz_question_versions.feature b/mod/quiz/tests/behat/quiz_question_versions.feature
index 189602e01fc..96c84ad0c7c 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/tests/behat/quiz_question_versions.feature
+++ b/mod/quiz/tests/behat/quiz_question_versions.feature
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ Feature: Quiz question versioning
     Then I should see "First question"
     And I should see "Answer the first question"
     And the field "version" matches value "Always latest"
-    And "v1 (latest)" "option" should exist in the "version" "select"
+    And the "version" select box should contain "v1 (latest)"
     # We check that the corresponding version is the appropriate one in preview
     And I click on "Preview question" "link"
     And I switch to "questionpreview" window
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Feature: Quiz question versioning
       | Correct answer | False                         |
     And I press "id_submitbutton"
     And the field "version" matches value "Always latest"
-    And "v1" "option" should exist in the "version" "select"
+    And the "version" select box should contain "v1"
     And I set the field "version" to "v2 (latest)"
     Then I should see "First question (v2)"
     And I should see "Answer the new first question"
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ Feature: Quiz question versioning
     Then I should see "First question"
     And I should see "Answer the first question"
     And the field "version" matches value "Always latest"
-    And "v1 (latest)" "option" should exist in the "version" "select"
-    And "v2" "option" should not exist in the "version" "select"
-    And "v2 (latest)" "option" should not exist in the "version" "select"
+    And the "version" select box should contain "v1 (latest)"
+    And the "version" select box should not contain "v2"
+    And the "version" select box should not contain "v2 (latest)"
     And I am on the "Quiz 1" "mod_quiz > View" page
     And I press "Preview quiz"
     And I should see "Answer the first question"
diff --git a/question/bank/managecategories/tests/behat/question_categories.feature b/question/bank/managecategories/tests/behat/question_categories.feature
index 217754e092b..f26939346c9 100644
--- a/question/bank/managecategories/tests/behat/question_categories.feature
+++ b/question/bank/managecategories/tests/behat/question_categories.feature
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Feature: A teacher can put questions in categories in the question bank
     And I should see "(0)"
     And I should see "Created for testing category, HTML entity & its encoding" in the "'Test' & 'display'" "list_item"
     And I follow "Add category"
-    And "'Test' & 'display' [newcatidnumber]" "option" should exist in the "Parent category" "select"
+    And the "Parent category" select box should contain "'Test' & 'display' [newcatidnumber]"
 
   Scenario: A question category can be edited
     When I am on the "Course 1" "core_question > course question categories" page