The other option is to the use `expect {}.to raise_error` with a block to handle extra assertions about the error.  https://www.relishapp.com/rspec/rspec-expectations/v/2-6/docs/built-in-matchers/raise-error-matcher#set-expectations-on-error-object-passed-to-block  I'm not sure our version of rspec supports that though, because I tried this the other day and it would never go into the block.