diff --git a/internal/endtoend/endtoend_test.go b/internal/endtoend/endtoend_test.go
index 579e07ada0..551565137f 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/endtoend_test.go
+++ b/internal/endtoend/endtoend_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -157,37 +156,13 @@ func cmpDirectory(t *testing.T, dir string, actual map[string]string) {
 
 func expectedStderr(t *testing.T, dir string) string {
 	t.Helper()
-	files, err := ioutil.ReadDir(dir)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	stderr := ""
-	for _, file := range files {
-		if file.IsDir() {
-			continue
-		}
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(file.Name(), ".sql") {
-			continue
-		}
-		rd, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(dir, file.Name()))
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "stderr.txt")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		blob, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("could not open %s: %v", file.Name(), err)
-		}
-		scanner := bufio.NewScanner(rd)
-		capture := false
-		for scanner.Scan() {
-			text := scanner.Text()
-			if text == "-- stderr" {
-				capture = true
-				continue
-			}
-			if capture == true && strings.HasPrefix(text, "--") {
-				stderr += strings.TrimPrefix(text, "-- ") + "\n"
-			}
-		}
-		if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
+		return string(blob)
 	}
-	return stderr
+	return ""
 }
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/query.sql
index f527539967..02ff72d1f3 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/query.sql
@@ -1,7 +1,2 @@
 SELECT random(1);
 SELECT position();
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:1:8: function random(unknown) does not exist
--- query.sql:2:8: function position() does not exist
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..df8159d449
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_func_args/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:1:8: function random(unknown) does not exist
+query.sql:2:8: function position() does not exist
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/query.sql
index fbc772f6f4..e65eb9970d 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/query.sql
@@ -11,10 +11,3 @@ SELECT foo FROM bar;
 
 -- name: Named :many
 SELECT id FROM bar WHERE id = $1 AND sqlc.arg(named) = true AND id = $5;
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:4:1: could not determine data type of parameter $1
--- query.sql:7:1: could not determine data type of parameter $2
--- query.sql:10:8: column "foo" does not exist
--- query.sql:13:1: query mixes positional parameters ($1) and named parameters (sqlc.arg or @arg)
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f338b8d756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_params/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:4:1: could not determine data type of parameter $1
+query.sql:7:1: could not determine data type of parameter $2
+query.sql:10:8: column "foo" does not exist
+query.sql:13:1: query mixes positional parameters ($1) and named parameters (sqlc.arg or @arg)
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/query.sql
index cad1d915d1..49d9d60f1f 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/query.sql
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
 CREATE TABLE foo (bar text not null, baz text not null);
 INSERT INTO foo (bar, baz) VALUES ($1);
 INSERT INTO foo (bar) VALUES ($1, $2);
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:2:1: INSERT has more target columns than expressions
--- query.sql:3:1: INSERT has more expressions than target columns
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a496038cd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_bar/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:2:1: INSERT has more target columns than expressions
+query.sql:3:1: INSERT has more expressions than target columns
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/query.sql
index 10a9f4be60..ef84ae740c 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/query.sql
@@ -17,12 +17,3 @@ UPDATE foo SET id = $2 WHERE id = $1;
 
 -- name: InsertFoo :one
 INSERT INTO foo (id) VALUES ($1);
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:4:1: invalid query comment: -- name: ListFoos
--- query.sql:7:1: invalid query comment: -- name: ListFoos :one :many
--- query.sql:10:1: invalid query type: :two
--- query.sql:13:1: query "DeleteFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
--- query.sql:16:1: query "UpdateFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
--- query.sql:19:1: query "InsertFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cbe1df4446
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/invalid_queries_foo/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:4:1: invalid query comment: -- name: ListFoos
+query.sql:7:1: invalid query comment: -- name: ListFoos :one :many
+query.sql:10:1: invalid query type: :two
+query.sql:13:1: query "DeleteFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
+query.sql:16:1: query "UpdateFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
+query.sql:19:1: query "InsertFoo" specifies parameter ":one" without containing a RETURNING clause
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/query.sql
index f64efa3e3c..cdd62d5ad7 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/query.sql
@@ -5,7 +5,3 @@ SELECT * FROM foo;
 
 -- name: SecondQuery :many
 SELECT * FROM foo WHERE email = $1
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:7:1: missing semicolon at end of file
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5cd2f160b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/missing_semicolon/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:7:1: missing semicolon at end of file
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/query.sql b/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/query.sql
index 462761beac..ad8de8d8fa 100644
--- a/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/query.sql
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/query.sql
@@ -15,12 +15,3 @@ selectt id, first_name from users;
 
 /* name: ExtraSelect :one */
 select id from users where select id;
-
--- stderr
--- # package querytest
--- query.sql:1:1: invalid function call "sqlc.argh", did you mean "sqlc.arg"?
--- query.sql:4:1: invalid custom argument value "sqlc.arg(sqlc.arg(target_id))"
--- query.sql:7:1: invalid custom argument value "sqlc.arg(?)"
--- query.sql:11:39: syntax error at or near "from"
--- query.sql:14:9: syntax error at or near "selectt"
--- query.sql:17:35: syntax error at or near "select"
diff --git a/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/stderr.txt b/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3fc5e90e71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/endtoend/testdata/mysql_errors/stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# package querytest
+query.sql:1:1: invalid function call "sqlc.argh", did you mean "sqlc.arg"?
+query.sql:4:1: invalid custom argument value "sqlc.arg(sqlc.arg(target_id))"
+query.sql:7:1: invalid custom argument value "sqlc.arg(?)"
+query.sql:11:39: syntax error at or near "from"
+query.sql:14:9: syntax error at or near "selectt"
+query.sql:17:35: syntax error at or near "select"