diff --git a/tests/grib_bpv_limit.cc b/tests/grib_bpv_limit.cc
index b5a3af0f6..97be2e39c 100644
--- a/tests/grib_bpv_limit.cc
+++ b/tests/grib_bpv_limit.cc
@@ -25,12 +25,6 @@ static double compare_double_absolute(double a, double b, double tolerance)
     return ret;
 }
 
-static void usage(const char* prog)
-{
-    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s input\n", prog);
-    exit(1);
-}
-
 static int check_error_code(int err)
 {
     if (err == GRIB_INVALID_BPV || err == GRIB_DECODING_ERROR)
@@ -49,7 +43,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     grib_handle* h;
     char* filename;
 
-    if (argc < 2) usage(argv[0]);
+    Assert(argc == 2);
     filename = argv[1];
 
     for (i = 0; i < 255; i++) {
diff --git a/tests/grib_ecc-1467.cc b/tests/grib_ecc-1467.cc
index 20a2b7268..3e20bdb08 100644
--- a/tests/grib_ecc-1467.cc
+++ b/tests/grib_ecc-1467.cc
@@ -26,21 +26,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     double dmin, dmax, dval;
     float fval;
 
-    FILE* in             = NULL;
-    const char* filename = 0;
-    codes_handle* h      = NULL;
-
-    if (argc != 2) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s file\n", argv[0]);
-        return 1;
-    }
-    filename = argv[1];
+    Assert(argc == 2);
+    const char* filename = argv[1];
 
     printf("Opening %s\n", filename);
-    in = fopen(filename, "rb");
+    FILE* in = fopen(filename, "rb");
     Assert(in);
 
-    h = codes_handle_new_from_file(0, in, PRODUCT_GRIB, &err);
+    codes_handle* h = codes_handle_new_from_file(0, in, PRODUCT_GRIB, &err);
     Assert(h);
 
     CODES_CHECK(codes_get_float(h, "referenceValue", &fval), 0);
diff --git a/tests/grib_ecc-386.cc b/tests/grib_ecc-386.cc
index d4e238c4f..10f2adcdb 100644
--- a/tests/grib_ecc-386.cc
+++ b/tests/grib_ecc-386.cc
@@ -9,18 +9,11 @@
  */
 
 /*
- * Description: Reads a GRIB message from file, measures read time.
- *
+ * Description: Reads a GRIB message from file, measures time taken
  */
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "grib_api_internal.h"
 
-static void usage(const char* prog)
-{
-    printf("usage: %s filename\n", prog);
-    exit(1);
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
     grib_timer* tes = grib_get_timer(0, "decoding", 0, 0);
@@ -33,21 +26,15 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     const double duration_max = 3.6; /* seconds */
     const int num_repetitions = 100;
 
-    if (argc < 2) usage(argv[0]);
+    if (argc < 2) return 1;
 
     in = fopen(argv[1], "rb");
-    if (!in) {
-        printf("ERROR: unable to open file %s\n", argv[1]);
-        return 1;
-    }
+    Assert(in);
 
     /* create new handle */
     err = 0;
     h   = grib_handle_new_from_file(0, in, &err);
-    if (h == NULL) {
-        printf("Error: unable to create handle from file.\n");
-        return 1;
-    }
+    Assert(h);
 
     /* get the size of the values array*/
     GRIB_CHECK(grib_get_size(h, "values", &values_len), 0);
@@ -72,9 +59,3 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     fclose(in);
     return 0;
 }
-
-// int main(int argc, char** argv)
-// {
-//     return 0;
-// }
-// #endif
diff --git a/tests/grib_multi_from_message.cc b/tests/grib_multi_from_message.cc
index 798230db5..1728e371c 100644
--- a/tests/grib_multi_from_message.cc
+++ b/tests/grib_multi_from_message.cc
@@ -8,25 +8,14 @@
  * virtue of its status as an intergovernmental organisation nor does it submit to any jurisdiction.
  */
 
-/*
- * test: reading GRIB2 multi fields messages from memory
- */
+/* Test: reading GRIB2 multi fields messages from memory */
 
 #include "grib_api_internal.h"
 
-
-static void usage(const char* prog)
-{
-    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [-m] file.grib\n", prog);
-    exit(1);
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
     struct stat finfo;
-    char shortName[20] = {
-        0,
-    };
+    char shortName[20] = {0,};
     size_t len;
     grib_handle* h = NULL;
     size_t fsize;
@@ -49,25 +38,18 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     else if (argc == 2)
         filename = argv[1];
     else
-        usage(argv[0]);
+        return 1;
 
     Assert(filename);
     f = fopen(filename, "rb");
-    if (!f) {
-        perror(filename);
-        exit(1);
-    }
+    Assert(f);
 
     stat(filename, &finfo);
     fsize = finfo.st_size;
 
     data = (unsigned char*)malloc(fsize);
     p    = data;
-
-    if (!data) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "unable to allocate %ld bytes\n", (long)fsize);
-        exit(1);
-    }
+    Assert(data);
 
     if (fread(data, 1, fsize, f) != fsize) {
         perror(filename);