diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
index 377da08d56c9..92f89a4c201d 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.Stack;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 /**
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ void assertPermitted(Exception exception) {
                 + exception.getClass().getSimpleName()
                 + " was thrown; expected "
                 + getMessage();
-        Helpers.fail(exception, message);
+        throw new AssertionError(message, exception);
       }
     }
 
@@ -355,8 +354,8 @@ private void compareResultsForThisListOfStimuli() {
       try {
         stimuli[i].executeAndCompare(reference, target);
         verify(reference.getElements());
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError cause) {
-        Helpers.fail(cause, "failed with stimuli " + subListCopy(stimuli, i + 1));
+      } catch (AssertionError cause) {
+        throw new AssertionError("failed with stimuli " + subListCopy(stimuli, i + 1), cause);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -425,12 +424,12 @@ private <T extends Iterator<E>> void internalExecuteAndCompare(
     } catch (PermittedMetaException e) {
       referenceException = e;
     } catch (UnknownElementException e) {
-      Helpers.fail(e, e.getMessage());
+      throw new AssertionError(e);
     }
 
     if (referenceException == null) {
       if (targetException != null) {
-        Helpers.fail(targetException, "Target threw exception when reference did not");
+        throw new AssertionError("Target threw exception when reference did not", targetException);
       }
 
       /*
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
index 9d577ecb0fe5..9049756a0cb9 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static junit.framework.Assert.fail;
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.GwtCompatible;
 import com.google.common.annotations.GwtIncompatible;
@@ -40,8 +41,6 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
-import junit.framework.Assert;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 @GwtCompatible(emulated = true)
@@ -88,13 +87,13 @@ private static boolean isEmpty(Iterable<?> iterable) {
 
   public static void assertEmpty(Iterable<?> iterable) {
     if (!isEmpty(iterable)) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + iterable + " is empty");
+      fail("Not true that " + iterable + " is empty");
     }
   }
 
   public static void assertEmpty(Map<?, ?> map) {
     if (!map.isEmpty()) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + map + " is empty");
+      fail("Not true that " + map + " is empty");
     }
   }
 
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ public static void assertEqualInOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> actual)
 
     while (expectedIter.hasNext() && actualIter.hasNext()) {
       if (!equal(expectedIter.next(), actualIter.next())) {
-        Assert.fail(
+        fail(
             "contents were not equal and in the same order: "
                 + "expected = "
                 + expected
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ public static void assertEqualInOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> actual)
 
     if (expectedIter.hasNext() || actualIter.hasNext()) {
       // actual either had too few or too many elements
-      Assert.fail(
+      fail(
           "contents were not equal and in the same order: "
               + "expected = "
               + expected
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ public static void assertEqualIgnoringOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> ac
     // Yeah it's n^2.
     for (Object object : exp) {
       if (!act.remove(object)) {
-        Assert.fail(
+        fail(
             "did not contain expected element "
                 + object
                 + ", "
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ public static void assertContains(Iterable<?> actual, Object expected) {
     }
 
     if (!contained) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains " + expected);
+      fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains " + expected);
     }
   }
 
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ public static void assertContainsAllOf(Iterable<?> actual, Object... expected) {
     }
 
     if (!expectedList.isEmpty()) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains all of " + Arrays.asList(expected));
+      fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains all of " + Arrays.asList(expected));
     }
   }
 
@@ -252,12 +251,6 @@ public void remove() {
     return iterator.next();
   }
 
-  static void fail(Throwable cause, Object message) {
-    AssertionFailedError assertionFailedError = new AssertionFailedError(String.valueOf(message));
-    assertionFailedError.initCause(cause);
-    throw assertionFailedError;
-  }
-
   private static class EntryComparator<K extends @Nullable Object, V extends @Nullable Object>
       implements Comparator<Entry<K, V>> {
     final @Nullable Comparator<? super K> keyComparator;
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
index 923f56fd45c0..b1e58aaac677 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
@@ -59,9 +59,8 @@ static <T> T reserialize(T object) {
       ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(bytes.toByteArray()));
       return (T) in.readObject();
     } catch (IOException | ClassNotFoundException e) {
-      Helpers.fail(e, e.getMessage());
+      throw new AssertionError(e);
     }
-    throw new AssertionError("not reachable");
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
index 67179415db57..127540ecf2bb 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -307,7 +306,7 @@ protected final void ignoreClasses(Predicate<? super Class<?>> condition) {
     this.classFilter = and(this.classFilter, not(condition));
   }
 
-  private static AssertionFailedError sanityError(
+  private static AssertionError sanityError(
       Class<?> cls, List<String> explicitTestNames, String description, Throwable e) {
     String message =
         String.format(
@@ -318,9 +317,7 @@ private static AssertionFailedError sanityError(
             cls,
             explicitTestNames.get(0),
             cls.getName());
-    AssertionFailedError error = new AssertionFailedError(message);
-    error.initCause(e);
-    return error;
+    return new AssertionError(message, e);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
index 00b9b80254b0..dba1335df52c 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
@@ -456,10 +456,7 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testNulls() throws Exception {
           try {
             nullPointerTester.testAllPublicInstanceMethods(instance);
           } catch (AssertionError e) {
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Null check failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e);
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError("Null check failed on return value of " + factory, e);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -505,10 +502,8 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testSerializable() throws Exception {
           try {
             SerializableTester.reserialize(instance);
           } catch (Exception e) { // sneaky checked exception
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Serialization failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e.getCause());
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Serialization failed on return value of " + factory, e.getCause());
           }
         }
       }
@@ -537,16 +532,11 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testEqualsAndSerializable() throws Excepti
           try {
             SerializableTester.reserializeAndAssert(instance);
           } catch (Exception e) { // sneaky checked exception
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Serialization failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e.getCause());
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Serialization failed on return value of " + factory, e.getCause());
           } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError(
-                    "Return value of " + factory + " reserialized to an unequal value");
-            error.initCause(e);
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Return value of " + factory + " reserialized to an unequal value", e);
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
index d0202b47152f..31d1938a5d54 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
 import junit.framework.Assert;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 /**
@@ -377,19 +376,17 @@ private void testParameter(
       if (policy.isExpectedType(cause)) {
         return;
       }
-      AssertionFailedError error =
-          new AssertionFailedError(
-              String.format(
-                  "wrong exception thrown from %s when passing null to %s parameter at index %s.%n"
-                      + "Full parameters: %s%n"
-                      + "Actual exception message: %s",
-                  invokable,
-                  invokable.getParameters().get(paramIndex).getType(),
-                  paramIndex,
-                  Arrays.toString(params),
-                  cause));
-      error.initCause(cause);
-      throw error;
+      throw new AssertionError(
+          String.format(
+              "wrong exception thrown from %s when passing null to %s parameter at index %s.%n"
+                  + "Full parameters: %s%n"
+                  + "Actual exception message: %s",
+              invokable,
+              invokable.getParameters().get(paramIndex).getType(),
+              paramIndex,
+              Arrays.toString(params),
+              cause),
+          cause);
     } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
       throw new RuntimeException(e);
     }
diff --git a/android/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java b/android/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
index b44811e33f63..a15bd87028cd 100644
--- a/android/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
+++ b/android/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 /**
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ protected Iterator<Integer> newTargetIterator() {
           return new IteratorWithSunJavaBug6529795<>(iterator);
         }
       }.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       return;
     }
     fail("Should have caught jdk6 bug in target iterator");
@@ -201,18 +200,18 @@ protected Iterator<Integer> newTargetIterator() {
 
           @Override
           protected void verify(List<Integer> elements) {
-            throw new AssertionFailedError(message);
+            throw new AssertionError(message);
           }
         };
-    AssertionFailedError actual = null;
+    AssertionError actual = null;
     try {
       tester.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       actual = e;
     }
     assertNotNull("verify() should be able to cause test failure", actual);
     assertTrue(
-        "AssertionFailedError should have info about why test failed",
+        "AssertionError should have info about why test failed",
         actual.getCause().getMessage().contains(message));
   }
 
@@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ public boolean hasNext() {
   private static void assertFailure(IteratorTester<?> tester) {
     try {
       tester.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
diff --git a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
index 4c863020e396..97753f7ab671 100644
--- a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
+++ b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertWithMessage;
 
 import com.google.common.testing.AbstractPackageSanityTests;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 
 /**
  * Covers basic sanity checks for the entire package.
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ public PackageSanityTests() {
   public void testNulls() throws Exception {
     try {
       super.testNulls();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       assertWithMessage("Method did not throw null pointer OR element not in graph exception.")
           .that(e)
           .hasCauseThat()
diff --git a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
index c5c4b05795d3..b9b02edd20cc 100644
--- a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
+++ b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
@@ -1208,11 +1208,8 @@ private static int findStackFrame(ExecutionException e, String clazz, String met
         return i;
       }
     }
-    AssertionFailedError failure =
-        new AssertionFailedError(
-            "Expected element " + clazz + "." + method + " not found in stack trace");
-    failure.initCause(e);
-    throw failure;
+    throw new AssertionError(
+        "Expected element " + clazz + "." + method + " not found in stack trace", e);
   }
 
   private ExecutionException getExpectingExecutionException(AbstractFuture<String> future)
diff --git a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
index ef3b27410d40..49bb7792ece1 100644
--- a/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
+++ b/android/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
@@ -77,9 +77,7 @@ public void tearDown() throws Exception {
     join();
 
     if (uncaughtThrowable != null) {
-      throw (AssertionFailedError)
-          new AssertionFailedError("Uncaught throwable in " + getName())
-              .initCause(uncaughtThrowable);
+      throw new AssertionError("Uncaught throwable in " + getName(), uncaughtThrowable);
     }
   }
 
@@ -283,7 +281,7 @@ private static class Response {
 
     Object getResult() {
       if (throwable != null) {
-        throw (AssertionFailedError) new AssertionFailedError().initCause(throwable);
+        throw new AssertionError(throwable);
       }
       return result;
     }
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
index 2ad9676c6251..ec0a713b7fc1 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/AbstractIteratorTester.java
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.Stack;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 /**
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ void assertPermitted(Exception exception) {
                 + exception.getClass().getSimpleName()
                 + " was thrown; expected "
                 + getMessage();
-        Helpers.fail(exception, message);
+        throw new AssertionError(message, exception);
       }
     }
 
@@ -371,8 +370,8 @@ private void compareResultsForThisListOfStimuli() {
       try {
         stimuli[i].executeAndCompare(reference, target);
         verify(reference.getElements());
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError cause) {
-        Helpers.fail(cause, "failed with stimuli " + subListCopy(stimuli, i + 1));
+      } catch (AssertionError cause) {
+        throw new AssertionError("failed with stimuli " + subListCopy(stimuli, i + 1), cause);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -441,12 +440,12 @@ private <T extends Iterator<E>> void internalExecuteAndCompare(
     } catch (PermittedMetaException e) {
       referenceException = e;
     } catch (UnknownElementException e) {
-      Helpers.fail(e, e.getMessage());
+      throw new AssertionError(e);
     }
 
     if (referenceException == null) {
       if (targetException != null) {
-        Helpers.fail(targetException, "Target threw exception when reference did not");
+        throw new AssertionError("Target threw exception when reference did not", targetException);
       }
 
       /*
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
index 9d577ecb0fe5..9049756a0cb9 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/Helpers.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static junit.framework.Assert.fail;
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.GwtCompatible;
 import com.google.common.annotations.GwtIncompatible;
@@ -40,8 +41,6 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
-import junit.framework.Assert;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 @GwtCompatible(emulated = true)
@@ -88,13 +87,13 @@ private static boolean isEmpty(Iterable<?> iterable) {
 
   public static void assertEmpty(Iterable<?> iterable) {
     if (!isEmpty(iterable)) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + iterable + " is empty");
+      fail("Not true that " + iterable + " is empty");
     }
   }
 
   public static void assertEmpty(Map<?, ?> map) {
     if (!map.isEmpty()) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + map + " is empty");
+      fail("Not true that " + map + " is empty");
     }
   }
 
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ public static void assertEqualInOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> actual)
 
     while (expectedIter.hasNext() && actualIter.hasNext()) {
       if (!equal(expectedIter.next(), actualIter.next())) {
-        Assert.fail(
+        fail(
             "contents were not equal and in the same order: "
                 + "expected = "
                 + expected
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ public static void assertEqualInOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> actual)
 
     if (expectedIter.hasNext() || actualIter.hasNext()) {
       // actual either had too few or too many elements
-      Assert.fail(
+      fail(
           "contents were not equal and in the same order: "
               + "expected = "
               + expected
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ public static void assertEqualIgnoringOrder(Iterable<?> expected, Iterable<?> ac
     // Yeah it's n^2.
     for (Object object : exp) {
       if (!act.remove(object)) {
-        Assert.fail(
+        fail(
             "did not contain expected element "
                 + object
                 + ", "
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ public static void assertContains(Iterable<?> actual, Object expected) {
     }
 
     if (!contained) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains " + expected);
+      fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains " + expected);
     }
   }
 
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ public static void assertContainsAllOf(Iterable<?> actual, Object... expected) {
     }
 
     if (!expectedList.isEmpty()) {
-      Assert.fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains all of " + Arrays.asList(expected));
+      fail("Not true that " + actual + " contains all of " + Arrays.asList(expected));
     }
   }
 
@@ -252,12 +251,6 @@ public void remove() {
     return iterator.next();
   }
 
-  static void fail(Throwable cause, Object message) {
-    AssertionFailedError assertionFailedError = new AssertionFailedError(String.valueOf(message));
-    assertionFailedError.initCause(cause);
-    throw assertionFailedError;
-  }
-
   private static class EntryComparator<K extends @Nullable Object, V extends @Nullable Object>
       implements Comparator<Entry<K, V>> {
     final @Nullable Comparator<? super K> keyComparator;
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
index 923f56fd45c0..b1e58aaac677 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/ReserializingTestCollectionGenerator.java
@@ -59,9 +59,8 @@ static <T> T reserialize(T object) {
       ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(bytes.toByteArray()));
       return (T) in.readObject();
     } catch (IOException | ClassNotFoundException e) {
-      Helpers.fail(e, e.getMessage());
+      throw new AssertionError(e);
     }
-    throw new AssertionError("not reachable");
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
index 1836b9dedf69..858e581fa39b 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/AbstractPackageSanityTests.java
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -308,7 +307,7 @@ protected final void ignoreClasses(Predicate<? super Class<?>> condition) {
     this.classFilter = and(this.classFilter, not(condition));
   }
 
-  private static AssertionFailedError sanityError(
+  private static AssertionError sanityError(
       Class<?> cls, List<String> explicitTestNames, String description, Throwable e) {
     String message =
         String.format(
@@ -319,9 +318,7 @@ private static AssertionFailedError sanityError(
             cls,
             explicitTestNames.get(0),
             cls.getName());
-    AssertionFailedError error = new AssertionFailedError(message);
-    error.initCause(e);
-    return error;
+    return new AssertionError(message, e);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
index 163fd3d20c81..3ed1fc08d14e 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTester.java
@@ -456,10 +456,7 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testNulls() throws Exception {
           try {
             nullPointerTester.testAllPublicInstanceMethods(instance);
           } catch (AssertionError e) {
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Null check failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e);
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError("Null check failed on return value of " + factory, e);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -505,10 +502,8 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testSerializable() throws Exception {
           try {
             SerializableTester.reserialize(instance);
           } catch (Exception e) { // sneaky checked exception
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Serialization failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e.getCause());
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Serialization failed on return value of " + factory, e.getCause());
           }
         }
       }
@@ -537,16 +532,11 @@ public FactoryMethodReturnValueTester testEqualsAndSerializable() throws Excepti
           try {
             SerializableTester.reserializeAndAssert(instance);
           } catch (Exception e) { // sneaky checked exception
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError("Serialization failed on return value of " + factory);
-            error.initCause(e.getCause());
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Serialization failed on return value of " + factory, e.getCause());
           } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
-            AssertionError error =
-                new AssertionFailedError(
-                    "Return value of " + factory + " reserialized to an unequal value");
-            error.initCause(e);
-            throw error;
+            throw new AssertionError(
+                "Return value of " + factory + " reserialized to an unequal value", e);
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
index 32e29d43e25d..8b2ac49633c5 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTester.java
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
 import junit.framework.Assert;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
 /**
@@ -373,19 +372,17 @@ private void testParameter(
       if (policy.isExpectedType(cause)) {
         return;
       }
-      AssertionFailedError error =
-          new AssertionFailedError(
-              String.format(
-                  "wrong exception thrown from %s when passing null to %s parameter at index %s.%n"
-                      + "Full parameters: %s%n"
-                      + "Actual exception message: %s",
-                  invokable,
-                  invokable.getParameters().get(paramIndex).getType(),
-                  paramIndex,
-                  Arrays.toString(params),
-                  cause));
-      error.initCause(cause);
-      throw error;
+      throw new AssertionError(
+          String.format(
+              "wrong exception thrown from %s when passing null to %s parameter at index %s.%n"
+                  + "Full parameters: %s%n"
+                  + "Actual exception message: %s",
+              invokable,
+              invokable.getParameters().get(paramIndex).getType(),
+              paramIndex,
+              Arrays.toString(params),
+              cause),
+          cause);
     } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
       throw new RuntimeException(e);
     }
diff --git a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
index b44811e33f63..a15bd87028cd 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/collect/testing/IteratorTesterTest.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 /**
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ protected Iterator<Integer> newTargetIterator() {
           return new IteratorWithSunJavaBug6529795<>(iterator);
         }
       }.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       return;
     }
     fail("Should have caught jdk6 bug in target iterator");
@@ -201,18 +200,18 @@ protected Iterator<Integer> newTargetIterator() {
 
           @Override
           protected void verify(List<Integer> elements) {
-            throw new AssertionFailedError(message);
+            throw new AssertionError(message);
           }
         };
-    AssertionFailedError actual = null;
+    AssertionError actual = null;
     try {
       tester.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       actual = e;
     }
     assertNotNull("verify() should be able to cause test failure", actual);
     assertTrue(
-        "AssertionFailedError should have info about why test failed",
+        "AssertionError should have info about why test failed",
         actual.getCause().getMessage().contains(message));
   }
 
@@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ public boolean hasNext() {
   private static void assertFailure(IteratorTester<?> tester) {
     try {
       tester.test();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
diff --git a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTesterTest.java b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTesterTest.java
index a6378bea4a1f..9cc625f2b02d 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTesterTest.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/ClassSanityTesterTest.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
@@ -89,7 +88,7 @@ static Object badButNotPublic() {
   public void testForAllPublicStaticMethods_noPublicStaticMethods() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(NoPublicStaticMethods.class).testEquals();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected)
           .hasMessageThat()
           .isEqualTo(
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ public void testForAllPublicStaticMethods_noPublicStaticMethods() throws Excepti
   public void testEqualsOnReturnValues_bad() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(BadEqualsFactory.class).testEquals();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ public static Object good(String s) {
   public void testNullsOnReturnValues_bad() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(BadNullsFactory.class).thatReturn(Object.class).testNulls();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ public void testNullsOnReturnValues_returnTypeFiltered() throws Exception {
           .forAllPublicStaticMethods(BadNullsFactory.class)
           .thatReturn(Iterable.class)
           .testNulls();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected)
           .hasMessageThat()
           .isEqualTo(
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ public static Object good(AnInterface i) {
   public void testSerializableOnReturnValues_bad() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(BadSerializableFactory.class).testSerializable();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ public void testEqualsAndSerializableOnReturnValues_equalsIsGoodButNotSerializab
       throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(GoodEqualsFactory.class).testEqualsAndSerializable();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("should have failed");
@@ -208,7 +207,7 @@ public void testEqualsAndSerializableOnReturnValues_equalsIsGoodButNotSerializab
   public void testEqualsAndSerializableOnReturnValues_serializableButNotEquals() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(GoodSerializableFactory.class).testEqualsAndSerializable();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("should have failed");
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ public static Object good(AnInterface s) {
   public void testEqualsForReturnValues_factoryReturnsNullButNotAnnotated() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(FactoryThatReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class).testEquals();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -239,7 +238,7 @@ public void testEqualsForReturnValues_factoryReturnsNullButNotAnnotated() throws
   public void testNullsForReturnValues_factoryReturnsNullButNotAnnotated() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.forAllPublicStaticMethods(FactoryThatReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class).testNulls();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -250,7 +249,7 @@ public void testSerializableForReturnValues_factoryReturnsNullButNotAnnotated()
       tester
           .forAllPublicStaticMethods(FactoryThatReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class)
           .testSerializable();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -262,7 +261,7 @@ public void testEqualsAndSerializableForReturnValues_factoryReturnsNullButNotAnn
       tester
           .forAllPublicStaticMethods(FactoryThatReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class)
           .testEqualsAndSerializable();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -318,7 +317,7 @@ public void testEquals_enum() {
   public void testBadEquals() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testEquals(BadEquals.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains("create(null)");
       return;
     }
@@ -328,7 +327,7 @@ public void testBadEquals() throws Exception {
   public void testBadEquals_withParameterizedType() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testEquals(BadEqualsWithParameterizedType.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains("create([[1]])");
       return;
     }
@@ -369,7 +368,7 @@ public void testEqualsUsingReferentialEquality() throws Exception {
   private void assertBadUseOfReferentialEquality(Class<?> cls) throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testEquals(cls);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains(cls.getSimpleName() + "(");
       return;
     }
@@ -402,7 +401,7 @@ public void testFactoryMethodReturnsNullForEqualsTest() throws Exception {
   public void testFactoryMethodReturnsNullButNotAnnotatedInEqualsTest() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testEquals(FactoryMethodReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("should have failed");
@@ -451,7 +450,7 @@ public void testNulls_parameterOptionalNotInstantiable() throws Exception {
   public void testEnumFailsToCheckNull() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testNulls(EnumFailsToCheckNull.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("should have failed");
@@ -468,7 +467,7 @@ public void testNoNullChecksOnAnnotation() throws Exception {
   public void testBadNulls() throws Exception {
     try {
       tester.testNulls(BadNulls.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("should have failed");
@@ -478,7 +477,7 @@ public void testInstantiate_factoryMethodReturnsNullButNotAnnotated() throws Exc
     try {
       FactoryMethodReturnsNullButNotAnnotated unused =
           tester.instantiate(FactoryMethodReturnsNullButNotAnnotated.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains("@Nullable");
       return;
     }
diff --git a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTesterTest.java b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTesterTest.java
index c224d8a5469a..573e296485c3 100644
--- a/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTesterTest.java
+++ b/guava-testlib/test/com/google/common/testing/NullPointerTesterTest.java
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.SortedSet;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
@@ -260,7 +259,7 @@ public void testDontAcceptIae() {
     tester.testAllPublicStaticMethods(ThrowsUoe.class);
     try {
       tester.testAllPublicStaticMethods(ThrowsIae.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail();
@@ -271,7 +270,7 @@ public void testStaticOneArgMethodsThatShouldPass() throws Exception {
       Method method = OneArg.class.getMethod(methodName, String.class);
       try {
         new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(new OneArg(), method, 0);
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError unexpected) {
+      } catch (AssertionError unexpected) {
         fail("Should not have flagged method " + methodName);
       }
     }
@@ -283,7 +282,7 @@ public void testStaticOneArgMethodsThatShouldFail() throws Exception {
       boolean foundProblem = false;
       try {
         new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(new OneArg(), method, 0);
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+      } catch (AssertionError expected) {
         foundProblem = true;
       }
       assertTrue("Should report error in method " + methodName, foundProblem);
@@ -296,7 +295,7 @@ public void testNonStaticOneArgMethodsThatShouldPass() throws Exception {
       Method method = OneArg.class.getMethod(methodName, String.class);
       try {
         new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(foo, method, 0);
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError unexpected) {
+      } catch (AssertionError unexpected) {
         fail("Should not have flagged method " + methodName);
       }
     }
@@ -309,7 +308,7 @@ public void testNonStaticOneArgMethodsThatShouldFail() throws Exception {
       boolean foundProblem = false;
       try {
         new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(foo, method, 0);
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+      } catch (AssertionError expected) {
         foundProblem = true;
       }
       assertTrue("Should report error in method " + methodName, foundProblem);
@@ -321,7 +320,7 @@ public void testMessageOtherException() throws Exception {
     boolean foundProblem = false;
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(new OneArg(), method, 0);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected.getMessage()).contains("index 0");
       assertThat(expected.getMessage()).contains("[null]");
       foundProblem = true;
@@ -334,7 +333,7 @@ public void testMessageNoException() throws Exception {
     boolean foundProblem = false;
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testMethodParameter(new OneArg(), method, 0);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       assertThat(expected.getMessage()).contains("index 0");
       assertThat(expected.getMessage()).contains("[null]");
       foundProblem = true;
@@ -429,7 +428,7 @@ public String toString() {
   public void verifyBarPass(Method method, TwoArg bar) {
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testMethod(bar, method);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError incorrectError) {
+    } catch (AssertionError incorrectError) {
       String errorMessage =
           rootLocaleFormat("Should not have flagged method %s for %s", method.getName(), bar);
       assertNull(errorMessage, incorrectError);
@@ -439,7 +438,7 @@ public void verifyBarPass(Method method, TwoArg bar) {
   public void verifyBarFail(Method method, TwoArg bar) {
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testMethod(bar, method);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return; // good...we wanted a failure
     }
     String errorMessage =
@@ -905,7 +904,7 @@ private static void shouldPass(Object instance) {
   private static void shouldFail(Object instance, Visibility visibility) {
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testInstanceMethods(instance, visibility);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("Should detect problem in " + instance.getClass().getSimpleName());
@@ -920,7 +919,7 @@ private static void shouldFail(Object instance) {
   private static void shouldFail(Class<?> cls, Visibility visibility) {
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testStaticMethods(cls, visibility);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("Should detect problem in " + cls.getSimpleName());
@@ -1138,7 +1137,7 @@ public void checkArray(EmptyEnum object, String s) {
     void check() {
       try {
         runTester();
-      } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+      } catch (AssertionError expected) {
         return;
       }
       fail("Should have failed because enum has no constant");
@@ -1481,7 +1480,7 @@ public void testConstructor_Ignored_ShouldPass() throws Exception {
   public void testConstructor_ShouldFail() throws Exception {
     try {
       new NullPointerTester().testAllPublicConstructors(FailOnOneOfTwoConstructors.class);
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError expected) {
+    } catch (AssertionError expected) {
       return;
     }
     fail("Should detect problem in " + FailOnOneOfTwoConstructors.class.getSimpleName());
diff --git a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
index 4c863020e396..97753f7ab671 100644
--- a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
+++ b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/graph/PackageSanityTests.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertWithMessage;
 
 import com.google.common.testing.AbstractPackageSanityTests;
-import junit.framework.AssertionFailedError;
 
 /**
  * Covers basic sanity checks for the entire package.
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ public PackageSanityTests() {
   public void testNulls() throws Exception {
     try {
       super.testNulls();
-    } catch (AssertionFailedError e) {
+    } catch (AssertionError e) {
       assertWithMessage("Method did not throw null pointer OR element not in graph exception.")
           .that(e)
           .hasCauseThat()
diff --git a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
index c5c4b05795d3..b9b02edd20cc 100644
--- a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
+++ b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/AbstractFutureTest.java
@@ -1208,11 +1208,8 @@ private static int findStackFrame(ExecutionException e, String clazz, String met
         return i;
       }
     }
-    AssertionFailedError failure =
-        new AssertionFailedError(
-            "Expected element " + clazz + "." + method + " not found in stack trace");
-    failure.initCause(e);
-    throw failure;
+    throw new AssertionError(
+        "Expected element " + clazz + "." + method + " not found in stack trace", e);
   }
 
   private ExecutionException getExpectingExecutionException(AbstractFuture<String> future)
diff --git a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
index ef3b27410d40..49bb7792ece1 100644
--- a/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
+++ b/guava-tests/test/com/google/common/util/concurrent/TestThread.java
@@ -77,9 +77,7 @@ public void tearDown() throws Exception {
     join();
 
     if (uncaughtThrowable != null) {
-      throw (AssertionFailedError)
-          new AssertionFailedError("Uncaught throwable in " + getName())
-              .initCause(uncaughtThrowable);
+      throw new AssertionError("Uncaught throwable in " + getName(), uncaughtThrowable);
     }
   }
 
@@ -283,7 +281,7 @@ private static class Response {
 
     Object getResult() {
       if (throwable != null) {
-        throw (AssertionFailedError) new AssertionFailedError().initCause(throwable);
+        throw new AssertionError(throwable);
       }
       return result;
     }