diff --git a/tests/operatordict_test.py b/tests/operatordict_test.py
index 897f6ffe..0a6e8e87 100644
--- a/tests/operatordict_test.py
+++ b/tests/operatordict_test.py
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ def test_operatordict_constructor(self):
         """
         d = {1: "hello", 2: "goodbye"}
         with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
-            o = OperatorDict(d)
+            OperatorDict(d)
         with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
-            o = OperatorDict(d, apply=1)
+            OperatorDict(d, apply=1)
         with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
-            o = OperatorDict(d, quote=1)
+            OperatorDict(d, quote=1)
         o = OperatorDict(d, apply=1, quote=2)
         print(o)
         # Why does the constructed Operator dict contain entries for "apply":1 and "quote":2 ?
diff --git a/tests/operators_test.py b/tests/operators_test.py
index 9c84d719..d31eb619 100644
--- a/tests/operators_test.py
+++ b/tests/operators_test.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ def test_unknown_op_reserved(self):
             with self.assertRaises(EvalError):
                 default_unknown_op(b"\xff\xff" + suffix, SExp.null())
 
+        # TODO: which assert are we trying to check here?
         with self.assertRaises(EvalError):
             # an empty atom is not a valid opcode
             self.assertEqual(default_unknown_op(b"", SExp.null()), (1, SExp.null()))
diff --git a/tests/to_sexp_test.py b/tests/to_sexp_test.py
index 92258ad9..2e5ee74c 100644
--- a/tests/to_sexp_test.py
+++ b/tests/to_sexp_test.py
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@ def test_convert_atom(self):
         assert convert_atom_to_bytes(DummyByteConvertible()) == b"foobar"
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            assert convert_atom_to_bytes([1, 2, 3])
+            convert_atom_to_bytes([1, 2, 3])
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            assert convert_atom_to_bytes((1, 2))
+            convert_atom_to_bytes((1, 2))
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            assert convert_atom_to_bytes({})
+            convert_atom_to_bytes({})