diff --git a/test/framework/build_log.py b/test/framework/build_log.py
index 47687426c1..aa4d699082 100644
--- a/test/framework/build_log.py
+++ b/test/framework/build_log.py
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ def test_easybuilderror(self):
             self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, 'BOOM', raise_easybuilderror, 'BOOM')
             logtxt = read_file(logfile)
 
-        log_re = re.compile(r"^fancyroot ::.* BOOM \(at .*:[0-9]+ in [a-z_]+\)$", re.M)
-        self.assertTrue(log_re.match(logtxt), "%s matches %s" % (log_re.pattern, logtxt))
+        self.assertRegex(logtxt, re.compile(r"^fancyroot ::.* BOOM \(at .*:[0-9]+ in [a-z_]+\)$", re.M))
 
         # test formatting of message
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, 'BOOMBAF', raise_easybuilderror, 'BOOM%s', 'BAF')
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ def test_easybuilderror(self):
              r'\s+easybuild/tools/filetools\.py:\d+ in read_file',
              r'\s+easybuild/framework/easyconfig/tweak\.py:\d+ in tweak_one',
              r'\s+easybuild/base/testing\.py:\d+ in assertErrorRegex',
-             )), re.M)
+             )))
 
     def test_easybuildlog(self):
         """Tests for EasyBuildLog."""
@@ -153,8 +152,7 @@ def test_easybuildlog(self):
             r"fancyroot.test_easybuildlog \[ERROR\] :: .*EasyBuild encountered an exception \(at .* in .*\): oops",
             '',
         ])
-        logtxt_regex = re.compile(r'^%s' % expected_logtxt, re.M)
-        self.assertTrue(logtxt_regex.search(logtxt), "Pattern '%s' found in %s" % (logtxt_regex.pattern, logtxt))
+        self.assertRegex(logtxt, rf'^{expected_logtxt}')
 
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, r"DEPRECATED \(since .*: kaput", log.deprecated, "kaput", older_ver)
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, r"DEPRECATED \(since .*: 2>1", log.deprecated, "2>1", '2.0', '1.0')
@@ -180,8 +178,7 @@ def test_easybuildlog(self):
             r"fancyroot.test_easybuildlog \[ERROR\] :: EasyBuild encountered an error \(at .* in .*\): foo baz baz",
             '',
         ])
-        logtxt_regex = re.compile(r'^%s' % expected_logtxt, re.M)
-        self.assertTrue(logtxt_regex.search(logtxt), "Pattern '%s' found in %s" % (logtxt_regex.pattern, logtxt))
+        self.assertRegex(logtxt, rf'^{expected_logtxt}')
 
         write_file(tmplog, '')
         logToFile(tmplog, enable=True)
@@ -239,8 +236,7 @@ def test_log_levels(self):
             error_msg, deprecated_msg, warning_msg, info_msg, debug_msg,
             error_msg, deprecated_msg, warning_msg, info_msg, debug_msg, devel_msg,
         ])
-        logtxt_regex = re.compile(r'^%s' % expected_logtxt, re.M)
-        self.assertTrue(logtxt_regex.search(logtxt), "Pattern '%s' found in %s" % (logtxt_regex.pattern, logtxt))
+        self.assertRegex(logtxt, rf'^{expected_logtxt}')
 
     def test_print_warning(self):
         """Test print_warning"""
diff --git a/test/framework/config.py b/test/framework/config.py
index 03d7c3fbf3..a621a5c0f7 100644
--- a/test/framework/config.py
+++ b/test/framework/config.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 @author: Stijn De Weirdt (Ghent University)
 """
 import os
-import re
 import shutil
 import sys
 import tempfile
@@ -598,33 +597,27 @@ def test_get_log_filename(self):
         tmpdir = tempfile.gettempdir()
 
         res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3')
-        regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9]{8}\.[0-9]{6}\.log$'))
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9]{8}\.[0-9]{6}\.log$'))
 
         res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3', date='19700101')
-        regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.[0-9]{6}\.log$'))
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.[0-9]{6}\.log$'))
 
         res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3', timestamp='094651')
-        regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9]{8}\.094651\.log$'))
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9]{8}\.094651\.log$'))
 
         res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3', date='19700101', timestamp='094651')
-        regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.log$'))
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.log$'))
 
         # if log file already exists, numbers are added to the filename to obtain a new file path
         write_file(res, '')
         res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3', date='19700101', timestamp='094651')
-        regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.log\.1$'))
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.log\.1$'))
 
         # adding salt ensures a unique filename (pretty much)
         prev_log_filenames = []
-        for i in range(10):
+        for _ in range(10):
             res = get_log_filename('foo', '1.2.3', date='19700101', timestamp='094651', add_salt=True)
-            regex = re.compile(os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.[a-zA-Z]{5}\.log$'))
-            self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+            self.assertRegex(res, os.path.join(tmpdir, r'easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-19700101\.094651\.[a-zA-Z]{5}\.log$'))
             self.assertNotIn(res, prev_log_filenames)
             prev_log_filenames.append(res)
 
@@ -676,9 +669,8 @@ def test_log_path(self):
 
         # reconfigure with value for log directory that includes templates
         init_config(args=['--logfile-format=easybuild-%(name)s-%(version)s-%(date)s-%(time)s,log.txt'])
-        regex = re.compile(r'^easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9-]{8}-[0-9]{6}$')
         res = log_path(ec=ec)
-        self.assertTrue(regex.match(res), "Pattern '%s' matches '%s'" % (regex.pattern, res))
+        self.assertRegex(res, r'^easybuild-foo-1\.2\.3-[0-9-]{8}-[0-9]{6}$')
         self.assertEqual(log_file_format(), 'log.txt')
 
     def test_get_build_log_path(self):
diff --git a/test/framework/containers.py b/test/framework/containers.py
index 1c47ccfc45..69259db758 100644
--- a/test/framework/containers.py
+++ b/test/framework/containers.py
@@ -405,9 +405,7 @@ def test_end2end_dockerfile(self):
         self.check_regexs(regexs, def_file)
 
         # there should be no leading/trailing whitespace included
-        for pattern in [r'^\s+', r'\s+$']:
-            regex = re.compile(pattern)
-            self.assertFalse(regex.search(def_file), "Pattern '%s' should *not* be found in: %s" % (pattern, def_file))
+        self.assert_multi_regex((r'^\s+', r'\s+$'), def_file, assert_match=False, multi_line=False)
 
     def test_end2end_docker_image(self):
 
diff --git a/test/framework/easyblock.py b/test/framework/easyblock.py
index ee28246b21..37e0b28019 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyblock.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyblock.py
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ def test_make_module_req(self):
             r"^prepend[-_]path.*CPATH.*root.*include/bar.*",
             r"^prepend[-_]path.*TEST_VAR.*root.*baz",
         ]
-        self.assert_multi_regex(non_expected_patterns, txt, assert_true=False)
+        self.assert_multi_regex(non_expected_patterns, txt, assert_match=False)
 
         # cleanup
         eb.close_log()
diff --git a/test/framework/general.py b/test/framework/general.py
index 857f55d74b..5a962576a5 100644
--- a/test/framework/general.py
+++ b/test/framework/general.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 @author: Kenneth hoste (Ghent University)
 """
 import os
-import re
 import sys
 from test.framework.utilities import EnhancedTestCase, TestLoaderFiltered
 from unittest import TextTestRunner
@@ -49,9 +48,9 @@ def test_error_reporting(self):
         easybuild_loc = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(easybuild.framework.__file__)))
 
         log_method_regexes = [
-            re.compile(r"log\.error\("),
-            re.compile(r"log\.exception\("),
-            re.compile(r"log\.raiseException\("),
+            r"log\.error\(",
+            r"log\.exception\(",
+            r"log\.raiseException\(",
         ]
 
         for dirpath, _, filenames in os.walk(easybuild_loc):
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ def test_error_reporting(self):
                     path = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
                     txt = read_file(path)
                     for regex in log_method_regexes:
-                        self.assertFalse(regex.search(txt), "No match for '%s' in %s" % (regex.pattern, path))
+                        self.assertNotRegex(txt, regex)
 
     def test_only_if_module_is_available(self):
         """Test only_if_module_is_available decorator."""
@@ -106,10 +105,10 @@ def test_docstrings(self):
         # easybuild.framework.__file__ provides location to <prefix>/easybuild/framework/__init__.py
         easybuild_loc = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(easybuild.framework.__file__)))
 
-        docstring_regexes = [
-            re.compile("@author"),
-            re.compile("@param"),
-            re.compile("@return"),
+        docstring_patterns = [
+            "@author",
+            "@param",
+            "@return",
         ]
 
         for dirpath, _, filenames in os.walk(easybuild_loc):
@@ -120,8 +119,8 @@ def test_docstrings(self):
 
                 path = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
                 txt = read_file(path)
-                for regex in docstring_regexes:
-                    self.assertFalse(regex.search(txt), "No match for '%s' in %s" % (regex.pattern, path))
+                for pattern in docstring_patterns:
+                    self.assertNotIn(pattern, txt)
 
     def test_import_available_modules(self):
         """Test for import_available_modules function."""
diff --git a/test/framework/module_generator.py b/test/framework/module_generator.py
index 0a42c214da..655a24be0f 100644
--- a/test/framework/module_generator.py
+++ b/test/framework/module_generator.py
@@ -830,9 +830,7 @@ def test_module_extensions(self):
                 r'\s*extensions\("bar/0.0,barbar/1.2,toy/0.0,ulimit"\)\nend$',
             ]
 
-        for pattern in patterns:
-            regex = re.compile(pattern, re.M)
-            self.assertTrue(regex.search(desc), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, desc))
+        self.assert_multi_regex(patterns, desc)
 
         # check if the extensions is missing if there are no extensions
         test_ec = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-test.eb')
@@ -847,7 +845,7 @@ def test_module_extensions(self):
         else:
             pattern = r"\s*extensions\("
 
-        self.assertFalse(re.search(pattern, desc), "No extensions found in: %s" % desc)
+        self.assertNotRegex(pattern, desc)
 
         # check if the extensions is missing if 'module_extensions' is disabled
         init_config(build_options={'module_extensions': False})
@@ -858,9 +856,7 @@ def test_module_extensions(self):
         modgen = self.MODULE_GENERATOR_CLASS(eb)
         desc = modgen.get_description()
 
-        for pattern in patterns:
-            regex = re.compile(pattern, re.M)
-            self.assertFalse(regex.search(desc), "Pattern '%s' not found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, desc))
+        self.assert_multi_regex(patterns, desc, assert_match=False)
 
     def test_module_extensions_extension_name(self):
         """Test that the 'extension_name' easyconfig parameter is included in the 'extensions' statement."""
diff --git a/test/framework/options.py b/test/framework/options.py
index 8c9c037ef0..e849d08b98 100644
--- a/test/framework/options.py
+++ b/test/framework/options.py
@@ -1847,7 +1847,7 @@ def test_try_toolchain_mapping(self):
             r"^ \* \[.\] .*-gompi-2018a",
             r"^ \* \[.\] .*-GCC.*6\.4\.0",
         ]
-        self.assert_multi_regex(anti_patterns, outtxt, assert_true=False)
+        self.assert_multi_regex(anti_patterns, outtxt, assert_match=False)
 
     def test_try_update_deps(self):
         """Test for --try-update-deps."""
@@ -3233,7 +3233,7 @@ def run_and_assert(args, words_expected=None, words_unexpected=None):
             if words_expected is not None:
                 self.assert_multi_regex(words_expected, stdout)
             if words_unexpected is not None:
-                self.assert_multi_regex(words_unexpected, stdout, assert_true=False)
+                self.assert_multi_regex(words_unexpected, stdout, assert_match=False)
 
         # A: simple direct case (all is logged because passed directly via EasyBuild configuration options)
         args = list(common_args)
@@ -3343,7 +3343,7 @@ def toy(extra_args=None):
         test_report_txt = toy()
         self.assertIn(test_var_secret_ondemand, test_report_txt)
         self.assertIn(test_var_public, test_report_txt)
-        self.assert_multi_regex([test_var_secret_always, test_var_secret_always2], test_report_txt, assert_true=False)
+        self.assert_multi_regex([test_var_secret_always, test_var_secret_always2], test_report_txt, assert_match=False)
 
         # filter out env vars that match specified regex pattern
         filter_arg = "--test-report-env-filter=.*_IS_A_CUSTOM_ENV_VAR_FOR_EASYBUILD"
@@ -3353,7 +3353,7 @@ def toy(extra_args=None):
             test_var_secret_always,
             test_var_secret_always2,
         ]
-        self.assert_multi_regex(regexs, test_report_txt, assert_true=False)
+        self.assert_multi_regex(regexs, test_report_txt, assert_match=False)
         # make sure that used filter is reported correctly in test report
         filter_arg_regex = r"--test-report-env-filter='.\*_IS_A_CUSTOM_ENV_VAR_FOR_EASYBUILD'"
         self.assertRegex(test_report_txt, filter_arg_regex)
@@ -4458,7 +4458,7 @@ def test_extended_dry_run(self):
             self.assert_multi_regex(msg_regexs, stdout)
 
             # no ignored errors should occur
-            self.assert_multi_regex([ignoring_error_regex, ignored_error_regex], stdout, assert_true=False)
+            self.assert_multi_regex([ignoring_error_regex, ignored_error_regex], stdout, assert_match=False)
 
     def test_last_log(self):
         """Test --last-log."""
@@ -4908,7 +4908,7 @@ def test_github_new_update_pr(self):
             r"# Build statistics",
             r"buildstats\s*=",
         ]
-        self.assert_multi_regex(regexs, txt, assert_true=False)
+        self.assert_multi_regex(regexs, txt, assert_match=False)
 
     def test_github_new_pr_warning_missing_patch(self):
         """Test warning printed by --new-pr (dry run only) when a specified patch file could not be found."""
@@ -5797,7 +5797,7 @@ def test_debug_module_cmds(self):
                     self.modtool.load(['GCC/4.6.3'])
                 logtxt = read_file(self.logfile)
                 self.assertRegex(logtxt, "Running .*\n.*load GCC/4.6.3")
-                self.assert_multi_regex(patterns, logtxt, assert_true=enable)
+                self.assert_multi_regex(patterns, logtxt, assert_match=enable)
                 self.modtool.purge()
 
     def test_use_color(self):
diff --git a/test/framework/package.py b/test/framework/package.py
index 7a1326b12a..4c662364e9 100644
--- a/test/framework/package.py
+++ b/test/framework/package.py
@@ -232,16 +232,12 @@ def test_package(self):
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(pkgfile), "Found %s" % pkgfile)
 
         # check whether extra packaging options were passed down
-        regex = re.compile("^got an unhandled option: --foo bar$", re.M)
-        self.assertTrue(regex.search(fpm_output), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, fpm_output))
+        self.assertRegex(fpm_output, re.compile("^got an unhandled option: --foo bar$", re.M))
 
         pkgtxt = read_file(pkgfile)
-        pkgtxt_regex = re.compile("STARTCONTENTS of installdir %s" % easyblock.installdir)
-        self.assertTrue(pkgtxt_regex.search(pkgtxt), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (pkgtxt_regex.pattern, pkgtxt))
+        self.assertIn("STARTCONTENTS of installdir %s" % easyblock.installdir, pkgtxt)
 
-        no_logfiles_regex = re.compile(r'STARTCONTENTS.*\.(log|md)$.*ENDCONTENTS', re.DOTALL | re.MULTILINE)
-        res = no_logfiles_regex.search(pkgtxt)
-        self.assertFalse(res, "Pattern not '%s' found in: %s" % (no_logfiles_regex.pattern, pkgtxt))
+        self.assertNotRegex(pkgtxt, re.compile(r'STARTCONTENTS.*\.(log|md)$.*ENDCONTENTS', re.DOTALL | re.M))
 
         toy_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'))
         replace_str = '''description = """Toy C program, 100% toy. Now with `backticks'\n'''
@@ -250,8 +246,7 @@ def test_package(self):
         toy_file = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-test-description.eb')
         write_file(toy_file, toy_txt)
 
-        regex = re.compile(r"""`backticks'""")
-        self.assertTrue(regex.search(toy_txt), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, toy_txt))
+        self.assertRegex(toy_txt, r"""`backticks'""")
         ec_desc = EasyConfig(toy_file, validate=False)
         easyblock_desc = EB_toy(ec_desc)
         easyblock_desc.run_all_steps(False)
@@ -259,10 +254,8 @@ def test_package(self):
         pkgfile = os.path.join(pkgdir, 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test-eb-%s.1.rpm' % EASYBUILD_VERSION)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(pkgfile))
         pkgtxt = read_file(pkgfile)
-        regex_pkg = re.compile(r"""DESCRIPTION:.*`backticks'.*""")
-        self.assertTrue(regex_pkg.search(pkgtxt), "Pattern '%s' not found in: %s" % (regex_pkg.pattern, pkgtxt))
-        regex_pkg = re.compile(r"""DESCRIPTION:.*\nand newlines""", re.MULTILINE)
-        self.assertTrue(regex_pkg.search(pkgtxt), "Pattern '%s' not found in: %s" % (regex_pkg.pattern, pkgtxt))
+        self.assertRegex(pkgtxt, r"""DESCRIPTION:.*`backticks'.*""")
+        self.assertRegex(pkgtxt, r"""DESCRIPTION:.*\nand newlines""")
 
 
 def suite(loader=None):
diff --git a/test/framework/utilities.py b/test/framework/utilities.py
index ff9d4372d3..2257b93136 100644
--- a/test/framework/utilities.py
+++ b/test/framework/utilities.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from importlib import reload
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List, Pattern, Union
 
 from test.framework import TEST_DIR, TEST_ECS_DIR, TEST_MODULES_DIR
 from easybuild.base import fancylogger
@@ -449,11 +450,18 @@ def setup_categorized_hmns_modules(self):
                               line)
                 sys.stdout.write(line)
 
-    def assert_multi_regex(self, regexs, txt, assert_true=True, flags=re.M):
-        """Helper function to assert presence/absence of list of regex patterns in a text"""
+    def assert_multi_regex(self, regexs: List[Union[str, Pattern]], txt: str,
+                           assert_match: bool = True, multi_line: bool = True) -> None:
+        """Helper function to assert presence/absence of list of regex patterns in a text
+        param: regexs: list of regex patterns to check for
+        param: txt: text to check for regex patterns
+        param: assert_match: Whether all regex patterns should match or not match
+        param: multi_line: if False, match ^/$ only at the beginning/end of the whole string
+        """
         for regex in regexs:
-            regex = re.compile(regex, flags)
-            if assert_true:
+            if multi_line:
+                regex = re.compile(regex, re.M)
+            if assert_match:
                 self.assertRegex(txt, regex)
             else:
                 self.assertNotRegex(txt, regex)