diff --git a/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/Approvals.java b/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/Approvals.java
index ec0d105ef..b4c2499f4 100644
--- a/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/Approvals.java
+++ b/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/Approvals.java
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ private static void verifyEachFileAgainstMasterDirectory(File[] files, Options o
     if (!mismatched.isEmpty())
     {
       String message = "The Following Files did not match up: " + getFileNameList(mismatched);
-      throw new Error(message);
+      throw new AssertionError(message);
     }
   }
   private static String getFileNameList(List<File> mismatched)
diff --git a/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/approvers/FileApprover.java b/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/approvers/FileApprover.java
index 2b9c6c81c..c28d62778 100644
--- a/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/approvers/FileApprover.java
+++ b/approvaltests/src/main/java/org/approvaltests/approvers/FileApprover.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public VerifyResult reportFailure(ApprovalFailureReporter reporter)
   }
   public void fail()
   {
-    throw new Error(String.format("Failed Approval\n  Approved:%s\n  Received:%s", approved.getAbsolutePath(),
+    throw new AssertionError(String.format("Failed Approval\n  Approved:%s\n  Received:%s", approved.getAbsolutePath(),
         received.getAbsolutePath()));
   }
   public static VerifyResult approveTextFile(File received, File approved)