diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/BaseWriteChannelTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/BaseWriteChannelTest.java
index 3f539e5f64..65743a347a 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/BaseWriteChannelTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/BaseWriteChannelTest.java
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Random;
 import org.junit.Before;
-import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 public class BaseWriteChannelTest {
 
@@ -60,8 +58,6 @@ protected CustomServiceOptions(
   private static final Random RANDOM = new Random();
   private static BaseWriteChannel channel;
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
-
   @Before
   public void setUp() {
     channel =
@@ -100,10 +96,9 @@ public void testClose() throws IOException {
     assertNull(channel.getBuffer());
   }
 
-  @Test
+  @Test(expected = ClosedChannelException.class)
   public void testValidateOpen() throws IOException {
     channel.close();
-    thrown.expect(ClosedChannelException.class);
     channel.write(ByteBuffer.allocate(42));
   }
 
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ExceptionHandlerTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ExceptionHandlerTest.java
index 96687cac33..50e0583c89 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ExceptionHandlerTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ExceptionHandlerTest.java
@@ -27,15 +27,11 @@
 import java.nio.channels.ClosedByInterruptException;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
-import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 /** Tests for {@link ExceptionHandler}. */
 public class ExceptionHandlerTest {
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
-
   @Test
   public void testVerifyCaller() {
     class A implements Callable<Object> {
@@ -170,7 +166,7 @@ public RetryResult beforeEval(Exception exception) {
     assertFalse(handler.shouldRetry(new NullPointerException(), null));
   }
 
-  @Test
+  @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
   public void testNullRetryResultFromBeforeEval() {
     @SuppressWarnings("serial")
     Interceptor interceptor =
@@ -188,11 +184,10 @@ public RetryResult afterEval(Exception exception, RetryResult retryResult) {
         };
 
     ExceptionHandler handler = ExceptionHandler.newBuilder().addInterceptors(interceptor).build();
-    thrown.expect(NullPointerException.class);
     handler.shouldRetry(new Exception(), null);
   }
 
-  @Test
+  @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
   public void testNullRetryResultFromAfterEval() {
     @SuppressWarnings("serial")
     Interceptor interceptor =
@@ -210,7 +205,6 @@ public RetryResult afterEval(Exception exception, RetryResult retryResult) {
         };
 
     ExceptionHandler handler = ExceptionHandler.newBuilder().addInterceptors(interceptor).build();
-    thrown.expect(NullPointerException.class);
     handler.shouldRetry(new Exception(), null);
   }
 }
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/RetryOptionTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/RetryOptionTest.java
index e1c906ca23..ebea89f2fc 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/RetryOptionTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/RetryOptionTest.java
@@ -20,13 +20,10 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotEquals;
 
 import com.google.api.gax.retrying.RetrySettings;
-import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 import org.threeten.bp.Duration;
 
 public class RetryOptionTest {
-  @Rule public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
 
   private static final RetryOption TOTAL_TIMEOUT =
       RetryOption.totalTimeout(Duration.ofMillis(420L));
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ServiceOptionsTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ServiceOptionsTest.java
index 8f8cab08b3..6f8763c84b 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ServiceOptionsTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/ServiceOptionsTest.java
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
-import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 public class ServiceOptionsTest {
   private static GoogleCredentials credentials;
@@ -185,8 +183,6 @@ static GoogleCredentials loadCredentials(String credentialFile) {
   private static final String LIBRARY_NAME = "gcloud-java";
   private static final Pattern APPLICATION_NAME_PATTERN = Pattern.compile(LIBRARY_NAME + "/.*");
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
-
   private static class TestClock implements ApiClock {
     @Override
     public long nanoTime() {
@@ -361,9 +357,8 @@ public void testBuilderNoCredentials() {
     assertEquals("quota-project-id", OPTIONS.getQuotaProjectId());
   }
 
-  @Test
+  @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
   public void testBuilderNullCredentials() {
-    thrown.expect(NullPointerException.class);
     TestServiceOptions.newBuilder().setCredentials(null).build();
   }
 
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/StringEnumTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/StringEnumTest.java
index 716e124f53..edef7820cd 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/StringEnumTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/StringEnumTest.java
@@ -16,18 +16,17 @@
 package com.google.cloud;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 import com.google.api.core.ApiFunction;
 import com.google.common.testing.EqualsTester;
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 public class StringEnumTest {
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException expectedException = ExpectedException.none();
-
   public static class Letter extends StringEnumValue {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = -1717976087182628526L;
 
@@ -65,16 +64,19 @@ public static Letter[] values() {
     }
   }
 
-  @Test
+  @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
   public void testNullClass() {
-    expectedException.expect(NullPointerException.class);
     new StringEnumType<Letter>(null, Letter.CONSTRUCTOR);
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testNullConstructor() {
-    expectedException.expect(NullPointerException.class);
-    new StringEnumType<Letter>(Letter.class, null);
+    try {
+      new StringEnumType<Letter>(Letter.class, null);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (NullPointerException ex) {
+      assertNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -110,8 +112,12 @@ public void testEquals() {
 
   @Test
   public void testValueOfStrict_invalid() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Letter.valueOfStrict("NonExistentLetter");
+    try {
+      Letter.valueOfStrict("NonExistentLetter");
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/TimestampTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/TimestampTest.java
index db9ede84dc..81ef7ce379 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/TimestampTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/TimestampTest.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import static com.google.common.testing.SerializableTester.reserializeAndAssert;
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 
 import com.google.common.testing.EqualsTester;
 import java.util.Calendar;
@@ -25,9 +26,8 @@
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
 import java.util.TimeZone;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.junit.runners.JUnit4;
 
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ public class TimestampTest {
   private static final Date TEST_DATE = new Date(TEST_TIME_MILLISECONDS);
   private static final Date TEST_DATE_PRE_EPOCH = new Date(TEST_TIME_MILLISECONDS_NEGATIVE);
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException expectedException = ExpectedException.none();
-
   @Test
   public void minValue() {
     // MIN_VALUE is before the start of the Gregorian calendar... use magic value.
@@ -119,38 +117,62 @@ public void toFromSqlTimestamp() {
 
   @Test
   public void boundsSecondsMin() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(Timestamp.MIN_VALUE.getSeconds() - 1, 999999999);
+    try {
+      Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(Timestamp.MIN_VALUE.getSeconds() - 1, 999999999);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void boundsSecondsMax() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(Timestamp.MAX_VALUE.getSeconds() + 1, 0);
+    try {
+      Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(Timestamp.MAX_VALUE.getSeconds() + 1, 0);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void boundsNanosMin() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(TEST_TIME_SECONDS, -1);
+    try {
+      Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(TEST_TIME_SECONDS, -1);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void boundsNanosMax() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(TEST_TIME_SECONDS, 1000000000);
+    try {
+      Timestamp.ofTimeSecondsAndNanos(TEST_TIME_SECONDS, 1000000000);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void boundsSqlTimestampMin() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.of(new java.sql.Timestamp((Timestamp.MIN_VALUE.getSeconds() - 1) * 1000));
+    try {
+      Timestamp.of(new java.sql.Timestamp((Timestamp.MIN_VALUE.getSeconds() - 1) * 1000));
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void boundsSqlTimestampMax() {
-    expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Timestamp.of(new java.sql.Timestamp((Timestamp.MAX_VALUE.getSeconds() + 1) * 1000));
+    try {
+      Timestamp.of(new java.sql.Timestamp((Timestamp.MAX_VALUE.getSeconds() + 1) * 1000));
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/testing/VersionTest.java b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/testing/VersionTest.java
index 4e1d88f8a2..fe65026b60 100644
--- a/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/testing/VersionTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-core/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/testing/VersionTest.java
@@ -17,16 +17,15 @@
 package com.google.cloud.testing;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
-import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
 public class VersionTest {
 
-  @Rule public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
-
   @Test
   public void testFromString() {
     Version version = Version.fromString("2016.01.13");
@@ -41,32 +40,52 @@ public void testFromString() {
 
   @Test
   public void testFromStringWithAlphas() {
-    thrown.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Version.fromString("2016.01.hello");
+    try {
+      Version.fromString("2016.01.hello");
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testFromStringMissingPatch() {
-    thrown.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Version.fromString("2016.01");
+    try {
+      Version.fromString("2016.01");
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testFromStringMissingMinor() {
-    thrown.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Version.fromString("2016");
+    try {
+      Version.fromString("2016");
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testFromStringEmpty() {
-    thrown.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-    Version.fromString("");
+    try {
+      Version.fromString("");
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      assertNotNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testFromStringNull() {
-    thrown.expect(NullPointerException.class);
-    Version.fromString(null);
+    try {
+      Version.fromString(null);
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (NullPointerException ex) {
+      assertNull(ex.getMessage());
+    }
   }
 
   @Test