diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index ca5bcee3e..1a6315ef5 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -355,11 +355,11 @@ def random_transaction(nodes, amount, min_fee, fee_increment, fee_variants):
 
     return (txid, signresult["hex"], fee)
 
-def assert_equal(expected, actual, message = ""):
+def assert_equal(expected, actual, message=""):
     if expected != actual:
         if message:
-            message = "%s; " % message 
-        raise AssertionError("%sexpected: <%s> but was: <%s>" % (message, str(expected), str(actual)))
+            message = "; %s" % message 
+        raise AssertionError("(left == right)%s\n  left: <%s>\n right: <%s>" % (message, str(expected), str(actual)))
 
 def assert_true(condition, message = ""):
     if not condition: