diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/exceptions.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/exceptions.hpp
index 0e474548..5479fcc7 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/exceptions.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/exceptions.hpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace graphene { namespace chain {
    FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( tx_missing_active_auth,            graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030001, "missing required active authority" )
    FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( tx_missing_owner_auth,             graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030002, "missing required owner authority" )
    FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( tx_missing_other_auth,             graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030003, "missing required other authority" )
-   FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( tx_irrelevant_authority,           graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030004, "irrelevant authority" )
+   FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( tx_irrelevant_sig,                 graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030004, "irrelevant signature included" )
    FC_DECLARE_DERIVED_EXCEPTION( invalid_committee_approval,        graphene::chain::transaction_exception, 3030005, 
                                  "committee account cannot directly approve transaction" )
 
diff --git a/libraries/chain/protocol/transaction.cpp b/libraries/chain/protocol/transaction.cpp
index 6e295032..bdf7da27 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/protocol/transaction.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/protocol/transaction.cpp
@@ -227,7 +227,11 @@ void verify_authority( const vector<operation>& ops, const flat_set<public_key_t
                        tx_missing_other_auth, "Missing Owner Authority ${id}", ("id",id)("auth",*get_owner(id)) );
    }
 
-   FC_ASSERT( !s.remove_unused_signatures(), "Unnecessary signatures detected" );
+   GRAPHENE_ASSERT(
+      !s.remove_unused_signatures(),
+      tx_irrelevant_sig,
+      "Unnecessary signature(s) detected"
+      );
 } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW( (ops)(sigs) ) }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/tests/authority_tests.cpp b/tests/tests/authority_tests.cpp
index 12ce3cda..96adab1c 100644
--- a/tests/tests/authority_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/authority_tests.cpp
@@ -1025,7 +1025,7 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE( bogus_signature, database_fixture )
       trx.sign( alice_key );
       trx.sign( charlie_key );
       // Signed by third-party Charlie (irrelevant key, not in authority)
-      GRAPHENE_REQUIRE_THROW( PUSH_TX( db,  trx, skip  ), fc::exception );
+      GRAPHENE_REQUIRE_THROW( PUSH_TX( db,  trx, skip  ), tx_irrelevant_sig );
    }
    FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW()
 }
diff --git a/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp b/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
index ad1561bb..df8b6bf6 100644
--- a/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 
 #include <graphene/chain/database.hpp>
+#include <graphene/chain/exceptions.hpp>
 
 #include <graphene/chain/account_object.hpp>
 #include <graphene/chain/committee_member_object.hpp>
@@ -625,7 +626,7 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE( double_sign_check, database_fixture )
    BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE( "Verify that signing with an extra, unused key fails" );
    trx.signatures.pop_back();
    trx.sign(generate_private_key("bogus"));
-   GRAPHENE_REQUIRE_THROW( db.push_transaction(trx, 0), fc::exception );
+   GRAPHENE_REQUIRE_THROW( db.push_transaction(trx, 0), tx_irrelevant_sig );
 
    BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE( "Verify that signing once with the proper key passes" );
    trx.signatures.pop_back();
diff --git a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
index 8c16675e..ae0e6f32 100644
--- a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
@@ -1029,8 +1029,9 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( assert_op_test )
    PUSH_TX( db, trx );
 
    // nathan checks that his public key is not equal to the given value (fail)
-   op.predicates.back() = account_name_eq_lit_predicate{ nathan_id, "dan" };
-   trx.operations.back() = op;
+   trx.clear();
+   op.predicates.emplace_back(account_name_eq_lit_predicate{ nathan_id, "dan" });
+   trx.operations.push_back(op);
    trx.sign(nathan_private_key);
    GRAPHENE_CHECK_THROW( PUSH_TX( db, trx ), fc::exception );
    } FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW()