diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_base32.rs b/tests/by-util/test_base32.rs
index ffe2cf74c..4d244704d 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_base32.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_base32.rs
@@ -113,18 +113,12 @@ fn test_wrap_bad_arg() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_base32_extra_operand() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
     // Expect a failure when multiple files are specified.
-    ts.ucmd()
+    new_ucmd!()
         .arg("a.txt")
         .arg("b.txt")
         .fails()
-        .stderr_only(format!(
-            "{0}: extra operand 'b.txt'\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        ));
+        .usage_error("extra operand 'b.txt'");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_base64.rs b/tests/by-util/test_base64.rs
index 87aa0db44..9a7d525bb 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_base64.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_base64.rs
@@ -95,18 +95,12 @@ fn test_wrap_bad_arg() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_base64_extra_operand() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
     // Expect a failure when multiple files are specified.
-    ts.ucmd()
+    new_ucmd!()
         .arg("a.txt")
         .arg("b.txt")
         .fails()
-        .stderr_only(format!(
-            "{0}: extra operand 'b.txt'\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        ));
+        .usage_error("extra operand 'b.txt'");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_basename.rs b/tests/by-util/test_basename.rs
index 141745ac3..962d7373d 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_basename.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_basename.rs
@@ -114,12 +114,7 @@ fn test_no_args() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_no_args_output() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-    ts.ucmd().fails().stderr_is(&format!(
-        "{0}: missing operand\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-        ts.util_name,
-        ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-    ));
+    new_ucmd!().fails().usage_error("missing operand");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -129,12 +124,10 @@ fn test_too_many_args() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_too_many_args_output() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-    ts.ucmd().args(&["a", "b", "c"]).fails().stderr_is(format!(
-        "{0}: extra operand 'c'\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-        ts.util_name,
-        ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-    ));
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .args(&["a", "b", "c"])
+        .fails()
+        .usage_error("extra operand 'c'");
 }
 
 #[cfg(any(unix, target_os = "redox"))]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_cp.rs b/tests/by-util/test_cp.rs
index e86f35833..50abfe967 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_cp.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_cp.rs
@@ -563,17 +563,13 @@ fn test_cp_backup_off() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_cp_backup_no_clobber_conflicting_options() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-    ts.ucmd()
+    new_ucmd!()
         .arg("--backup")
         .arg("--no-clobber")
         .arg(TEST_HELLO_WORLD_SOURCE)
         .arg(TEST_HOW_ARE_YOU_SOURCE)
-        .fails().stderr_is(&format!(
-            "{0}: options --backup and --no-clobber are mutually exclusive\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        ));
+        .fails()
+        .usage_error("options --backup and --no-clobber are mutually exclusive");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_more.rs b/tests/by-util/test_more.rs
index 4b2719d8f..5c2b3c0f6 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_more.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_more.rs
@@ -15,15 +15,10 @@ fn test_more_dir_arg() {
     // Maybe we could capture the error, i.e. "Device not found" in that case
     // but I am leaving this for later
     if atty::is(atty::Stream::Stdout) {
-        let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-        let result = ts.ucmd().arg(".").run();
-        result.failure();
-        let expected_error_message = &format!(
-            "{0}: '.' is a directory.\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        );
-        assert_eq!(result.stderr_str().trim(), expected_error_message);
+        new_ucmd!()
+            .arg(".")
+            .fails()
+            .usage_error("'.' is a directory.");
     } else {
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs b/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
index 8d9b00664..f6650cdba 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
@@ -522,17 +522,13 @@ fn test_mv_backup_off() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_mv_backup_no_clobber_conflicting_options() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
-    ts.ucmd().arg("--backup")
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("--backup")
         .arg("--no-clobber")
         .arg("file1")
         .arg("file2")
         .fails()
-        .stderr_is(&format!("{0}: options --backup and --no-clobber are mutually exclusive\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        ));
+        .usage_error("options --backup and --no-clobber are mutually exclusive");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_nice.rs b/tests/by-util/test_nice.rs
index 7a99a333d..4a77ae24e 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_nice.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_nice.rs
@@ -22,15 +22,10 @@ fn test_negative_adjustment() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_adjustment_with_no_command_should_error() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
-    ts.ucmd()
-    .args(&["-n", "19"])
-    .run()
-    .stderr_is(&format!("{0}: A command must be given with an adjustment.\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.\n",
-        ts.util_name,
-        ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-    ));
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .args(&["-n", "19"])
+        .fails()
+        .usage_error("A command must be given with an adjustment.");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_seq.rs b/tests/by-util/test_seq.rs
index 2a2e31f83..90166de92 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_seq.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_seq.rs
@@ -66,24 +66,18 @@ fn test_hex_identifier_in_wrong_place() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_rejects_nan() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
-    ts.ucmd().args(&["NaN"]).fails().stderr_only(format!(
-        "{0}: invalid 'not-a-number' argument: 'NaN'\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-        ts.util_name,
-        ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-    ));
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("NaN")
+        .fails()
+        .usage_error("invalid 'not-a-number' argument: 'NaN'");
 }
 
 #[test]
 fn test_rejects_non_floats() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
-    ts.ucmd().args(&["foo"]).fails().stderr_only(&format!(
-        "{0}: invalid floating point argument: 'foo'\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-        ts.util_name,
-        ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-    ));
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("foo")
+        .fails()
+        .usage_error("invalid floating point argument: 'foo'");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -547,11 +541,7 @@ fn test_trailing_whitespace_error() {
     new_ucmd!()
         .arg("1 ")
         .fails()
-        .no_stdout()
-        .stderr_contains("seq: invalid floating point argument: '1 '")
-        // FIXME The second line of the error message is "Try 'seq
-        // --help' for more information."
-        .stderr_contains("for more information.");
+        .usage_error("invalid floating point argument: '1 '");
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_stdbuf.rs b/tests/by-util/test_stdbuf.rs
index c05b65d70..3b03a1d4c 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_stdbuf.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_stdbuf.rs
@@ -53,16 +53,10 @@ fn test_stdbuf_trailing_var_arg() {
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
 #[test]
 fn test_stdbuf_line_buffering_stdin_fails() {
-    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-
-    ts.ucmd()
+    new_ucmd!()
         .args(&["-i", "L", "head"])
         .fails()
-        .stderr_is(&format!(
-            "{0}: line buffering stdin is meaningless\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
-            ts.util_name,
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy()
-        ));
+        .usage_error("line buffering stdin is meaningless");
 }
 
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
diff --git a/tests/common/util.rs b/tests/common/util.rs
index e71f18573..cfde5f229 100644
--- a/tests/common/util.rs
+++ b/tests/common/util.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ fn read_scenario_fixture<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(tmpd: &Option<Rc<TempDir>>, file_rel_p
 /// within a struct which has convenience assertion functions about those outputs
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct CmdResult {
+    /// bin_path provided by `TestScenario` or `UCommand`
+    bin_path: String,
+    /// util_name provided by `TestScenario` or `UCommand`
+    util_name: Option<String>,
     //tmpd is used for convenience functions for asserts against fixtures
     tmpd: Option<Rc<TempDir>>,
     /// exit status for command (if there is one)
@@ -77,6 +81,8 @@ pub struct CmdResult {
 
 impl CmdResult {
     pub fn new(
+        bin_path: String,
+        util_name: Option<String>,
         tmpd: Option<Rc<TempDir>>,
         code: Option<i32>,
         success: bool,
@@ -84,6 +90,8 @@ impl CmdResult {
         stderr: &[u8],
     ) -> CmdResult {
         CmdResult {
+            bin_path,
+            util_name,
             tmpd,
             code,
             success,
@@ -357,6 +365,23 @@ impl CmdResult {
         self
     }
 
+    /// asserts that
+    /// 1.  the command resulted in stderr stream output that equals the
+    ///     the following format when both are trimmed of trailing whitespace
+    ///     `"{util_name}: {msg}\nTry '{bin_path} {util_name} --help' for more information."`
+    ///     This the expected format when a UUsageError is returned or when show_error! is called
+    ///     `msg` should be the same as the one provided to UUsageError::new or show_error!
+    ///
+    /// 2.  the command resulted in empty (zero-length) stdout stream output
+    pub fn usage_error<T: AsRef<str>>(&self, msg: T) -> &CmdResult {
+        self.stderr_only(format!(
+            "{0}: {2}\nTry '{1} {0} --help' for more information.",
+            self.util_name.as_ref().unwrap(), // This shouldn't be called using a normal command
+            self.bin_path,
+            msg.as_ref()
+        ))
+    }
+
     pub fn stdout_contains<T: AsRef<str>>(&self, cmp: T) -> &CmdResult {
         assert!(
             self.stdout_str().contains(cmp.as_ref()),
@@ -780,31 +805,36 @@ impl TestScenario {
     /// Returns builder for invoking the target uutils binary. Paths given are
     /// treated relative to the environment's unique temporary test directory.
     pub fn ucmd(&self) -> UCommand {
-        let mut cmd = self.cmd(&self.bin_path);
-        cmd.arg(&self.util_name);
-        cmd
+        self.composite_cmd(&self.bin_path, &self.util_name, true)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns builder for invoking the target uutils binary. Paths given are
+    /// treated relative to the environment's unique temporary test directory.
+    pub fn composite_cmd<S: AsRef<OsStr>, T: AsRef<OsStr>>(
+        &self,
+        bin: S,
+        util_name: T,
+        env_clear: bool,
+    ) -> UCommand {
+        UCommand::new_from_tmp(bin, Some(util_name), self.tmpd.clone(), env_clear)
     }
 
     /// Returns builder for invoking any system command. Paths given are treated
     /// relative to the environment's unique temporary test directory.
     pub fn cmd<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(&self, bin: S) -> UCommand {
-        UCommand::new_from_tmp(bin, self.tmpd.clone(), true)
+        UCommand::new_from_tmp::<S, S>(bin, None, self.tmpd.clone(), true)
     }
 
     /// Returns builder for invoking any uutils command. Paths given are treated
     /// relative to the environment's unique temporary test directory.
     pub fn ccmd<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(&self, bin: S) -> UCommand {
-        let mut cmd = self.cmd(&self.bin_path);
-        cmd.arg(bin);
-        cmd
+        self.composite_cmd(&self.bin_path, bin, true)
     }
 
     // different names are used rather than an argument
     // because the need to keep the environment is exceedingly rare.
     pub fn ucmd_keepenv(&self) -> UCommand {
-        let mut cmd = self.cmd_keepenv(&self.bin_path);
-        cmd.arg(&self.util_name);
-        cmd
+        self.composite_cmd(&self.bin_path, &self.util_name, false)
     }
 
     /// Returns builder for invoking any system command. Paths given are treated
@@ -812,7 +842,7 @@ impl TestScenario {
     /// Differs from the builder returned by `cmd` in that `cmd_keepenv` does not call
     /// `Command::env_clear` (Clears the entire environment map for the child process.)
     pub fn cmd_keepenv<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(&self, bin: S) -> UCommand {
-        UCommand::new_from_tmp(bin, self.tmpd.clone(), false)
+        UCommand::new_from_tmp::<S, S>(bin, None, self.tmpd.clone(), false)
     }
 }
 
@@ -826,6 +856,8 @@ impl TestScenario {
 pub struct UCommand {
     pub raw: Command,
     comm_string: String,
+    bin_path: String,
+    util_name: Option<String>,
     tmpd: Option<Rc<TempDir>>,
     has_run: bool,
     ignore_stdin_write_error: bool,
@@ -838,12 +870,20 @@ pub struct UCommand {
 }
 
 impl UCommand {
-    pub fn new<T: AsRef<OsStr>, U: AsRef<OsStr>>(arg: T, curdir: U, env_clear: bool) -> UCommand {
-        UCommand {
+    pub fn new<T: AsRef<OsStr>, S: AsRef<OsStr>, U: AsRef<OsStr>>(
+        bin_path: T,
+        util_name: Option<S>,
+        curdir: U,
+        env_clear: bool,
+    ) -> UCommand {
+        let bin_path = bin_path.as_ref();
+        let util_name = util_name.as_ref().map(|un| un.as_ref());
+
+        let mut ucmd = UCommand {
             tmpd: None,
             has_run: false,
             raw: {
-                let mut cmd = Command::new(arg.as_ref());
+                let mut cmd = Command::new(bin_path);
                 cmd.current_dir(curdir.as_ref());
                 if env_clear {
                     if cfg!(windows) {
@@ -863,7 +903,9 @@ impl UCommand {
                 }
                 cmd
             },
-            comm_string: String::from(arg.as_ref().to_str().unwrap()),
+            comm_string: String::from(bin_path.to_str().unwrap()),
+            bin_path: bin_path.to_str().unwrap().to_string(),
+            util_name: util_name.map(|un| un.to_str().unwrap().to_string()),
             ignore_stdin_write_error: false,
             bytes_into_stdin: None,
             stdin: None,
@@ -871,12 +913,23 @@ impl UCommand {
             stderr: None,
             #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
             limits: vec![],
+        };
+
+        if let Some(un) = util_name {
+            ucmd.arg(un);
         }
+
+        ucmd
     }
 
-    pub fn new_from_tmp<T: AsRef<OsStr>>(arg: T, tmpd: Rc<TempDir>, env_clear: bool) -> UCommand {
+    pub fn new_from_tmp<T: AsRef<OsStr>, S: AsRef<OsStr>>(
+        bin_path: T,
+        util_name: Option<S>,
+        tmpd: Rc<TempDir>,
+        env_clear: bool,
+    ) -> UCommand {
         let tmpd_path_buf = String::from(&(*tmpd.as_ref().path().to_str().unwrap()));
-        let mut ucmd: UCommand = UCommand::new(arg.as_ref(), tmpd_path_buf, env_clear);
+        let mut ucmd: UCommand = UCommand::new(bin_path, util_name, tmpd_path_buf, env_clear);
         ucmd.tmpd = Some(tmpd);
         ucmd
     }
@@ -1021,6 +1074,8 @@ impl UCommand {
         let prog = self.run_no_wait().wait_with_output().unwrap();
 
         CmdResult {
+            bin_path: self.bin_path.clone(),
+            util_name: self.util_name.clone(),
             tmpd: self.tmpd.clone(),
             code: prog.status.code(),
             success: prog.status.success(),
@@ -1268,6 +1323,8 @@ pub fn expected_result(ts: &TestScenario, args: &[&str]) -> std::result::Result<
     };
 
     Ok(CmdResult::new(
+        ts.bin_path.as_os_str().to_str().unwrap().to_string(),
+        Some(ts.util_name.clone()),
         Some(result.tmpd()),
         Some(result.code()),
         result.succeeded(),
@@ -1285,6 +1342,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_code_is() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: Some(32),
             success: false,
@@ -1298,6 +1357,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_code_is_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: Some(32),
             success: false,
@@ -1310,6 +1371,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_failure() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: false,
@@ -1323,6 +1386,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_failure_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1335,6 +1400,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_success() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1348,6 +1415,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_success_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: false,
@@ -1360,6 +1429,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_no_stderr_output() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1374,6 +1445,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_no_stderr_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1388,6 +1461,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_no_stdout_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1401,6 +1476,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_std_does_not_contain() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1415,6 +1492,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_stdout_does_not_contain_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1429,6 +1508,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_stderr_does_not_contain_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1442,6 +1523,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_stdout_matches() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1458,6 +1541,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_stdout_matches_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1473,6 +1558,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_stdout_not_matches_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1487,6 +1574,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_normalized_newlines_stdout_is() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,
@@ -1503,6 +1592,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[should_panic]
     fn test_normalized_newlines_stdout_is_fail() {
         let res = CmdResult {
+            bin_path: "".into(),
+            util_name: None,
             tmpd: None,
             code: None,
             success: true,