diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 24aaf5f6d..b9c59716a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     "babel-plugin-transform-runtime": "^6.1.18",
     "babel-preset-es2015": "^6.0.15",
     "babel-runtime": "^5.8.34",
+    "chai": "^3.4.1",
     "concurrently": "^1.0.0",
     "eslint-config-standard": "^4.4.0",
     "eslint-plugin-standard": "^1.3.1",
diff --git a/src/api/dht.js b/src/api/dht.js
index df168be6e..129873763 100644
--- a/src/api/dht.js
+++ b/src/api/dht.js
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ module.exports = send => {
         if (res.Type === 5) {
           cb(null, res.Extra)
         } else {
-          cb(res)
+          let error = new Error('key was not found (type 6)')
+          cb(error)
         }
       })
     },
diff --git a/test/.eslintrc b/test/.eslintrc
index 479d6aec2..79947b1e8 100644
--- a/test/.eslintrc
+++ b/test/.eslintrc
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
   "globals": {
     "apiClients": true,
     "isNode": true,
-    "assert": true
+    "expect": true
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/api/add.spec.js b/test/api/add.spec.js
index eb266791b..6b49bb488 100644
--- a/test/api/add.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/add.spec.js
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ describe('.add', () => {
     })
 
     apiClients['a'].add(file, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       const added = res[0] != null ? res[0] : res
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
-      assert.equal(added.Name, path.basename(testfilePath))
+      expect(added).to.have.property('Hash', 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
+      expect(added).to.have.property('Name', path.basename(testfilePath))
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -46,11 +46,9 @@ describe('.add', () => {
   it('add buffer', done => {
     let buf = new Buffer(testfile)
     apiClients['a'].add(buf, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
-
-      assert.equal(res.length, 1)
-      const added = res[0]
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.length(1)
+      expect(res[0]).to.have.property('Hash', 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -61,11 +59,9 @@ describe('.add', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['a'].add(testfileBig, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
-
-      assert.equal(res.length, 1)
-      const added = res[0]
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'Qme79tX2bViL26vNjPsF3DP1R9rMKMvnPYJiKTTKPrXJjq')
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.length(1)
+      expect(res[0]).to.have.a.property('Hash', 'Qme79tX2bViL26vNjPsF3DP1R9rMKMvnPYJiKTTKPrXJjq')
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -76,10 +72,10 @@ describe('.add', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['a'].add(testfilePath, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       const added = res[0] != null ? res[0] : res
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
+      expect(added).to.have.property('Hash', 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -87,13 +83,13 @@ describe('.add', () => {
   it('add a nested dir', done => {
     apiClients['a'].add(__dirname + '/../test-folder', { recursive: true }, (err, res) => {
       if (isNode) {
-        if (err) throw err
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
 
         const added = res[res.length - 1]
-        assert.equal(added.Hash, 'QmSzLpCVbWnEm3XoTWnv6DT6Ju5BsVoLhzvxKXZeQ2cmdg')
+        expect(added).to.have.property('Hash', 'QmSzLpCVbWnEm3XoTWnv6DT6Ju5BsVoLhzvxKXZeQ2cmdg')
         done()
       } else {
-        assert.equal(err.message, 'Recursive uploads are not supported in the browser')
+        expect(err.message).to.be.equal('Recursive uploads are not supported in the browser')
         done()
       }
     })
@@ -104,10 +100,10 @@ describe('.add', () => {
     stream.push('Hello world')
     stream.push(null)
     apiClients['a'].add(stream, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       const added = res[0] != null ? res[0] : res
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'QmNRCQWfgze6AbBCaT1rkrkV5tJ2aP4oTNPb5JZcXYywve')
+      expect(added).to.have.a.property('Hash', 'QmNRCQWfgze6AbBCaT1rkrkV5tJ2aP4oTNPb5JZcXYywve')
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -115,10 +111,10 @@ describe('.add', () => {
   it('add url', done => {
     const url = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ipfs/js-ipfs-api/2a9cc63d7427353f2145af6b1a768a69e67c0588/README.md'
     apiClients['a'].add(url, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       const added = res[0] != null ? res[0] : res
-      assert.equal(added.Hash, 'QmZmHgEX9baxUn3qMjsEXQzG6DyNcrVnwieQQTrpDdrFvt')
+      expect(added).to.have.a.property('Hash', 'QmZmHgEX9baxUn3qMjsEXQzG6DyNcrVnwieQQTrpDdrFvt')
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/block.spec.js b/test/api/block.spec.js
index 2bf98211c..e12e8ec66 100644
--- a/test/api/block.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/block.spec.js
@@ -6,22 +6,21 @@ describe('.block', () => {
 
   it('block.put', done => {
     apiClients['a'].block.put(blorb, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
-      const store = res.Key
-      assert.equal(store, 'QmPv52ekjS75L4JmHpXVeuJ5uX2ecSfSZo88NSyxwA3rAQ')
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('Key', 'QmPv52ekjS75L4JmHpXVeuJ5uX2ecSfSZo88NSyxwA3rAQ')
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('block.get', done => {
     apiClients['a'].block.get(blorbKey, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       let buf = ''
       res
         .on('data', function (data) { buf += data })
         .on('end', function () {
-          assert.equal(buf, 'blorb')
+          expect(buf).to.be.equal('blorb')
           done()
         })
     })
diff --git a/test/api/cat.spec.js b/test/api/cat.spec.js
index 135f10d5f..492df0b8e 100644
--- a/test/api/cat.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/cat.spec.js
@@ -15,16 +15,14 @@ if (isNode) {
 describe('.cat', () => {
   it('cat', done => {
     apiClients['a'].cat('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       let buf = ''
       res
         .on('error', err => { throw err })
         .on('data', data => buf += data)
         .on('end', () => {
-          assert.equal(buf, testfile)
+          expect(buf).to.be.equal(testfile.toString())
           done()
         })
     })
@@ -36,16 +34,14 @@ describe('.cat', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['a'].cat('Qme79tX2bViL26vNjPsF3DP1R9rMKMvnPYJiKTTKPrXJjq', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       testfileBig = require('fs').createReadStream(__dirname + '/../15mb.random', { bufferSize: 128 })
 
       // Do not blow out the memory of nodejs :)
       streamEqual(res, testfileBig, (err, equal) => {
-        if (err) throw err
-        assert(equal)
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(equal).to.be.true
         done()
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/api/commands.spec.js b/test/api/commands.spec.js
index a7bdbfa24..7ec3ac712 100644
--- a/test/api/commands.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/commands.spec.js
@@ -3,10 +3,8 @@
 describe('.commands', () => {
   it('lists commands', done => {
     apiClients['a'].commands((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/config.spec.js b/test/api/config.spec.js
index 46b3bdd1f..773ac7cbe 100644
--- a/test/api/config.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/config.spec.js
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ describe('.config', () => {
     const confVal = 'arbitraryVal'
 
     apiClients['a'].config.set(confKey, confVal, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
       apiClients['a'].config.get(confKey, (err, res) => {
-        if (err) throw err
-        assert.equal(res.Value, confVal)
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(res).to.have.a.property('Value', confVal)
         done()
       })
     })
@@ -17,11 +17,8 @@ describe('.config', () => {
 
   it('.config.show', done => {
     apiClients['c'].config.show((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
       done()
     })
   })
@@ -32,11 +29,8 @@ describe('.config', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['c'].config.replace(__dirname + '/../r-config.json', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-
-      assert.equal(res, null)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.be.equal(null)
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/dht.spec.js b/test/api/dht.spec.js
index 3428198af..25bae8fec 100644
--- a/test/api/dht.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/dht.spec.js
@@ -4,29 +4,25 @@ describe('.dht', () => {
   it('returns an error when getting a non-existent key from the DHT',
      done => {
        apiClients['a'].dht.get('non-existent', {timeout: '100ms'}, (err, value) => {
-         assert(err)
+         expect(err).to.be.an.instanceof(Error)
          done()
        })
      })
 
   it('puts and gets a key value pair in the DHT', done => {
     apiClients['a'].dht.put('scope', 'interplanetary', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
-      assert.equal(typeof res, 'object')
+      expect(res).to.be.an('array')
 
-      return done()
+      done()
 
       // non ipns or pk hashes fail to fetch, known bug
       // bug: https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/1923#issuecomment-152932234
       // apiClients['a'].dht.get('scope', (err, value) => {
       //  console.log('->>', err, value)
-      //  if (err) {
-      //    throw err
-      //  }
-      //  assert.equal(value, 'interplanetary')
+      //  expect(err).to.not.exist
+      //  expect(value).to.be.equal('interplanetary')
       //  done()
       // })
     })
@@ -34,12 +30,9 @@ describe('.dht', () => {
 
   it('.dht.findprovs', done => {
     apiClients['a'].dht.findprovs('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
-      assert.equal(typeof res, 'object')
-      assert(res)
+      expect(res).to.be.an('array')
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/diag.spec.js b/test/api/diag.spec.js
index 6476744e6..71518401c 100644
--- a/test/api/diag.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/diag.spec.js
@@ -3,22 +3,18 @@
 describe('.diag', () => {
   it('.diag.net', done => {
     apiClients['a'].diag.net((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('.diag.sys', done => {
     apiClients['a'].diag.sys((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
-      assert(res.memory)
-      assert(res.diskinfo)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('memory')
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('diskinfo')
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/id.spec.js b/test/api/id.spec.js
index 04874e694..50d55f0fc 100644
--- a/test/api/id.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/id.spec.js
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@
 describe('.id', () => {
   it('id', done => {
     apiClients['a'].id((err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
-      const id = res
-      assert(id.ID)
-      assert(id.PublicKey)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('ID')
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('PublicKey')
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/index.spec.js b/test/api/index.spec.js
index f9d3ba598..69c012942 100644
--- a/test/api/index.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/index.spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 describe('API', () => {
   it('has the api object', () => {
-    assert(apiClients['a'])
-    assert(apiClients['a'].id)
+    expect(apiClients['a']).to.exist
+    expect(apiClients['a']).to.have.a.property('id')
   })
 })
diff --git a/test/api/log.spec.js b/test/api/log.spec.js
index a87e5c98f..ed1d32a2f 100644
--- a/test/api/log.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/log.spec.js
@@ -3,12 +3,10 @@
 describe('.log', () => {
   it('.log.tail', done => {
     apiClients['a'].log.tail((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+
       res.once('data', obj => {
-        assert(obj)
-        assert.equal(typeof obj, 'object')
+        expect(obj).to.be.an('object')
         done()
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/api/name.spec.js b/test/api/name.spec.js
index 2f0d21f77..2950ee6b1 100644
--- a/test/api/name.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/name.spec.js
@@ -5,23 +5,20 @@ describe('.name', () => {
 
   it('.name.publish', done => {
     apiClients['a'].name.publish('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
       name = res
+      expect(name).to.exist
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('.name.resolve', done => {
     apiClients['a'].name.resolve(name.Name, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-
-      assert(res)
-      assert.deepEqual(res, { Path: '/ipfs/' + name.Value })
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
+      expect(res).to.be.eql({
+        Path: '/ipfs/' + name.Value
+      })
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/object.spec.js b/test/api/object.spec.js
index 18d3e7e57..e5870cea1 100644
--- a/test/api/object.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/object.spec.js
@@ -8,36 +8,32 @@ describe('.object', () => {
 
   it('object.put', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.put(testObject, 'json', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
-      const obj = res
-      assert.equal(obj.Hash, testObjectHash)
-      assert.equal(obj.Links.length, 0)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('Hash', testObjectHash)
+      expect(res.Links).to.be.empty
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('object.get', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.get(testObjectHash, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      const obj = res
-      assert.equal(obj.Data, 'testdata')
-      assert.equal(obj.Links.length, 0)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('Data', 'testdata')
+      expect(res.Links).to.be.empty
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('object.data', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.data(testObjectHash, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) throw err
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       let buf = ''
       res
         .on('error', err => { throw err })
         .on('data', data => buf += data)
         .on('end', () => {
-          assert.equal(buf, 'testdata')
+          expect(buf).to.equal('testdata')
           done()
         })
     })
@@ -45,10 +41,8 @@ describe('.object', () => {
 
   it('object.stat', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.stat(testObjectHash, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert.deepEqual(res, {
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.be.eql({
         Hash: 'QmPTkMuuL6PD8L2SwTwbcs1NPg14U8mRzerB1ZrrBrkSDD',
         NumLinks: 0,
         BlockSize: 10,
@@ -62,11 +56,9 @@ describe('.object', () => {
 
   it('object.links', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.links(testObjectHash, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
-      assert.deepEqual(res, {
+      expect(res).to.be.eql({
         Hash: 'QmPTkMuuL6PD8L2SwTwbcs1NPg14U8mRzerB1ZrrBrkSDD',
         Links: []
       })
@@ -76,23 +68,16 @@ describe('.object', () => {
 
   it('object.patch', done => {
     apiClients['a'].object.put(testPatchObject, 'json', (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
       apiClients['a'].object.patch(testObjectHash, ['add-link', 'next', testPatchObjectHash], (err, res) => {
-        if (err) {
-          throw err
-        }
-
-        assert.deepEqual(res, {
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(res).to.be.eql({
           Hash: 'QmZFdJ3CQsY4kkyQtjoUo8oAzsEs5BNguxBhp8sjQMpgkd',
           Links: null
         })
         apiClients['a'].object.get(res.Hash, (err, res2) => {
-          if (err) {
-            throw err
-          }
-          assert.deepEqual(res2, {
+          expect(err).to.not.exist
+          expect(res2).to.be.eql({
             Data: 'testdata',
             Links: [{
               Name: 'next',
diff --git a/test/api/pin.spec.js b/test/api/pin.spec.js
index 8ddf64c3a..85652f33d 100644
--- a/test/api/pin.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/pin.spec.js
@@ -3,36 +3,28 @@
 describe('.pin', () => {
   it('.pin.add', done => {
     apiClients['b'].pin.add('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', {recursive: false}, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert.equal(res.Pinned[0], 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res.Pinned[0]).to.be.equal('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP')
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('.pin.list', done => {
     apiClients['b'].pin.list((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
       done()
     })
   })
 
   it('.pin.remove', done => {
     apiClients['b'].pin.remove('Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP', {recursive: false}, (err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.exist
       apiClients['b'].pin.list('direct', (err, res) => {
-        if (err) {
-          throw err
-        }
-        assert(res)
-        assert.equal(Object.keys(res.Keys).length, 0)
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(res).to.exist
+        expect(res.Keys).to.be.empty
         done()
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/api/ping.spec.js b/test/api/ping.spec.js
index 21f886be3..f2aa8e0e8 100644
--- a/test/api/ping.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/ping.spec.js
@@ -8,17 +8,11 @@ describe('.ping', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['b'].id((err, id) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       apiClients['a'].ping(id.ID, (err, res) => {
-        if (err) {
-          throw err
-        }
-
-        assert(res)
-        assert(res.Success)
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(res).to.have.a.property('Success')
         done()
       })
     })
diff --git a/test/api/refs.spec.js b/test/api/refs.spec.js
index 66840342a..9bbcb0d41 100644
--- a/test/api/refs.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/refs.spec.js
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ describe('.refs', () => {
     }
 
     apiClients['a'].refs(folder, {'format': '<src> <dst> <linkname>'}, (err, objs) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
       const result = [{
         Ref: 'QmSzLpCVbWnEm3XoTWnv6DT6Ju5BsVoLhzvxKXZeQ2cmdg QmcUYKmQxmTcFom4R4UZP7FWeQzgJkwcFn51XrvsMy7PE9 add.js',
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ describe('.refs', () => {
         Ref: 'QmSzLpCVbWnEm3XoTWnv6DT6Ju5BsVoLhzvxKXZeQ2cmdg QmbkMNB6rwfYAxRvnG9CWJ6cKKHEdq2ZKTozyF5FQ7H8Rs version.js',
         Err: ''
       }]
-      assert.deepEqual(objs, result)
+      expect(objs).to.eql(result)
 
       done()
     })
diff --git a/test/api/swarm.spec.js b/test/api/swarm.spec.js
index a085e80da..198f82ef6 100644
--- a/test/api/swarm.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/swarm.spec.js
@@ -3,11 +3,9 @@
 describe('.swarm', () => {
   it('.swarm.peers', done => {
     apiClients['a'].swarm.peers((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
 
-      assert(res.Strings.length >= 2)
+      expect(res.Strings).to.have.length.above(1)
       done()
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/api/version.spec.js b/test/api/version.spec.js
index a2fb146ef..18f3b04c4 100644
--- a/test/api/version.spec.js
+++ b/test/api/version.spec.js
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@
 describe('.version', () => {
   it('checks the version', done => {
     apiClients['a'].version((err, res) => {
-      if (err) {
-        throw err
-      }
-      assert(res)
-      assert(res.Version)
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(res).to.have.a.property('Version')
       console.log('      - running against version', res.Version)
       done()
     })
diff --git a/test/constructor.spec.js b/test/constructor.spec.js
index 8b6a11df7..823c7b6f4 100644
--- a/test/constructor.spec.js
+++ b/test/constructor.spec.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const ipfsAPI = require('../src/index.js')
-const assert = require('assert')
 
 describe('ipfsAPI constructor tests', () => {
   describe('parameter permuations', () => {
@@ -9,11 +8,11 @@ describe('ipfsAPI constructor tests', () => {
     const apiAddr = apiAddrs.a.split('/')
 
     function clientWorks (client, done) {
-      client.id((err, res) => {
-        if (err) throw err
-        const id = res
-        assert(id.ID)
-        assert(id.PublicKey)
+      client.id((err, id) => {
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+
+        expect(id).to.have.a.property('ID')
+        expect(id).to.have.a.property('PublicKey')
         done()
       })
     }
diff --git a/test/setup.js b/test/setup.js
index 9abab3b6a..81ad12929 100644
--- a/test/setup.js
+++ b/test/setup.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 const ipfsAPI = require('../src/index.js')
 const apiAddrs = require('./tmp-disposable-nodes-addrs.json')
 
-global.assert = require('assert')
+global.expect = require('chai').expect
 global.apiClients = {} // a, b, c
 global.isNode = !global.window