diff --git a/tests/unit/apps_1.bats b/tests/unit/apps_1.bats
index c5086bcd4f0..ab8b5cbae5b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/apps_1.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/apps_1.bats
@@ -139,11 +139,11 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku apps:list | grep $TEST_APP"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "curl --silent --write-out '%{http_code}\n' $(dokku url great-test-name) | grep 404"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku --force apps:destroy great-test-name"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
diff --git a/tests/unit/apps_2.bats b/tests/unit/apps_2.bats
index d7a2a2cece0..7580f874e89 100644
--- a/tests/unit/apps_2.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/apps_2.bats
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "curl --silent --write-out '%{http_code}\n' $(dokku url great-test-name) | grep 404"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku --force apps:destroy great-test-name"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get app-without-ssl DOKKU_PROXY_SSL_PORT"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku --force apps:destroy app-without-ssl"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
diff --git a/tests/unit/checks.bats b/tests/unit/checks.bats
index e337dad5640..0c072fa7513 100644
--- a/tests/unit/checks.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/checks.bats
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_SKIPPED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku checks:enable $TEST_APP"
   echo "output: $output"
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_DISABLED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_SKIPPED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(checks) checks:disable -> checks:skip" {
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_SKIPPED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku checks:skip $TEST_APP urgentworker,worker"
   echo "output: $output"
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_DISABLED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku checks:enable $TEST_APP"
   echo "output: $output"
@@ -142,12 +142,12 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_SKIPPED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_DISABLED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(checks) checks:skip -> checks:disable" {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP DOKKU_CHECKS_DISABLED"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku checks:disable $TEST_APP urgentworker,worker"
   echo "output: $output"
diff --git a/tests/unit/config.bats b/tests/unit/config.bats
index 6216fe441e1..58425609b7a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/config.bats
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get --global test_var"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(config) config:set/get" {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP test_var"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(config) config:unset" {
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP test_var"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP test_var3"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP test_var3"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:unset $TEST_APP"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
diff --git a/tests/unit/git_1.bats b/tests/unit/git_1.bats
index 760b90f6f33..2c24971d70a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/git_1.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/git_1.bats
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku config:get $TEST_APP GIT_REV"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(git) customize the GIT_REV environment variable" {
diff --git a/tests/unit/logs.bats b/tests/unit/logs.bats
index 7d5f5e950ef..b8048b7ba37 100644
--- a/tests/unit/logs.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/logs.bats
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku logs:report $TEST_APP --logs-max-size 2>&1"
   echo "output: $output"
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(logs) logs:set escaped uri" {
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 }
 
 @test "(logs) logs:vector" {
diff --git a/tests/unit/ports.bats b/tests/unit/ports.bats
index 772deca21c5..46881c27831 100644
--- a/tests/unit/ports.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/ports.bats
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ teardown() {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku ports:report $TEST_APP --ports-map"
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku ports:report $TEST_APP --ports-map-detected"
   echo "output: $output"
diff --git a/tests/unit/storage.bats b/tests/unit/storage.bats
index 13bd0c15524..37205ecf486 100644
--- a/tests/unit/storage.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/storage.bats
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku storage:mount $TEST_APP /tmp/mount:/mount"
   echo "output: $output"
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku storage:list $TEST_APP --format json | jq -r '. | length'"
   echo "output: $output"
diff --git a/tests/unit/traefik.bats b/tests/unit/traefik.bats
index 4ff1eca633c..f4a326c45c6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/traefik.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/traefik.bats
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ teardown() {
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  assert_output ""
+  assert_output_not_exists
 
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku traefik:set --global letsencrypt-email test@example.com"
   echo "output: $output"