diff --git a/lib/shoulda/active_record_helpers.rb b/lib/shoulda/active_record_helpers.rb
index 8c015770..e75572ba 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/active_record_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/active_record_helpers.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
         attributes.each do |attribute|
           should "require #{attribute} to be set" do
             object = klass.new
+            object.send("#{attribute}=", nil)
             assert !object.valid?, "#{klass.name} does not require #{attribute}."
             assert object.errors.on(attribute), "#{klass.name} does not require #{attribute}."
             assert_contains(object.errors.on(attribute), message)
@@ -443,4 +444,4 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
       include ThoughtBot::Shoulda::Private
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/html.rb b/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/html.rb
index a5c3c09a..1cc9f727 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/html.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/html.rb
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
                 end
 
                 should "destroy record" do
-                  assert_raises(::ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound) { @record.reload }
+                  assert_raises(::ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound, "@#{res.object} was not destroyed.") do
+                    @record.reload
+                  end
                 end
               end
             end
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
                 end
 
                 should "not have errors on @#{res.object}" do
-                  assert_equal [], assigns(res.object).errors.full_messages, "@#{res.object} has errors:"            
+                  assert_equal [], pretty_error_messages(assigns(res.object)), "@#{res.object} has errors:"            
                 end
               end      
             end
@@ -183,7 +185,7 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
                 end
                 
                 should "not have errors on @#{res.object}" do
-                  assert_equal [], assigns(res.object).errors.full_messages, "@#{res.object} has errors:"
+                  assert_equal [], pretty_error_messages(assigns(res.object)), "@#{res.object} has errors:"
                 end
               end
             end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/xml.rb b/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/xml.rb
index c6cfe5ff..893248ba 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/xml.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/controller_tests/formats/xml.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
                 end
               else
                 should "destroy record" do
-                  assert_raises(::ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound) { @record.reload }
+                  assert_raises(::ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound, "@#{res.object} was not destroyed.") do
+                    @record.reload
+                  end
                 end
               end
             end
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
                 should_assign_to res.object
 
                 should "not have errors on @#{res.object}" do
-                  assert_equal [], assigns(res.object).errors.full_messages, "@#{res.object} has errors:"            
+                  assert_equal [], pretty_error_messages(assigns(res.object)), "@#{res.object} has errors:"            
                 end
               end      
             end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/general.rb b/lib/shoulda/general.rb
index c7b06c15..a785a319 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/general.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/general.rb
@@ -67,15 +67,15 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
       #
       #  assert_save User.new(params)
       def assert_save(obj)
-        assert obj.save, "Errors: #{obj.errors.full_messages.join('; ')}"
+        assert obj.save, "Errors: #{pretty_error_messages obj}"
         obj.reload
       end
 
       # Asserts that the given object is valid
       #
-      #  assert_save User.new(params)
+      #  assert_valid User.new(params)
       def assert_valid(obj)
-        assert obj.valid?, "Errors: #{obj.errors.full_messages.join('; ')}"
+        assert obj.valid?, "Errors: #{pretty_error_messages obj}"
       end
       
       # Asserts that the block uses ActionMailer to send emails
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ module ThoughtBot # :nodoc:
       def assert_does_not_send_email(&blk)
         assert_sends_email 0, &blk
       end
+
+      def pretty_error_messages(obj)
+        obj.errors.map { |a, m| "#{m} (#{obj.send(a).inspect})" }
+      end
       
     end
   end