diff --git a/test/integration/lib.rb b/test/integration/lib.rb
index 63c81e8..5d262b6 100644
--- a/test/integration/lib.rb
+++ b/test/integration/lib.rb
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ class IntegrationTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     TestLib.clear_env
   end
 
+  # extra assertions
+
+  def assert_success(res)
+    msg = build_message(nil, "command status was expected to be a success, but failed with code <?> and STDERR:\n\n#{res.err}", res.status.to_i)
+    assert_block(msg) { res.status.success? }
+  end
+
+  # utils
+
   def make_project(template_dir = nil)
     test_name = local_name
     test_name = test_name[5..] if test_name.start_with?('test_')
diff --git a/test/integration/test_simple.rb b/test/integration/test_simple.rb
index 3a3096d..c5e4810 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_simple.rb
+++ b/test/integration/test_simple.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class Simple < IntegrationTest
     prj.create_lists_with package: 'CPMAddPackage("gh:cpm-cmake/testpack-adder#cad1cd4b4cdf957c5b59e30bc9a1dd200dbfc716")'
     cfg_result = prj.configure
 
-    assert cfg_result.status.success?
+    assert_success cfg_result
 
     cache = prj.read_cache
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Simple < IntegrationTest
     prj.create_lists_with package: 'CPMAddPackage("gh:cpm-cmake/testpack-adder@1.0.0")'
     cfg_result = prj.configure
 
-    assert cfg_result.status.success?
+    assert_success cfg_result
 
     cache = prj.read_cache