diff --git a/pandas/tests/computation/test_compat.py b/pandas/tests/computation/test_compat.py
index 9fc3ed4800d09..8fa11ab75dd67 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/computation/test_compat.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/computation/test_compat.py
@@ -36,14 +36,10 @@ def testit():
 
     if engine == "numexpr":
         try:
-            import numexpr as ne
+            import numexpr as ne  # noqa F401
         except ImportError:
             pytest.skip("no numexpr")
         else:
-            if LooseVersion(ne.__version__) < LooseVersion(VERSIONS["numexpr"]):
-                with pytest.raises(ImportError):
-                    testit()
-            else:
-                testit()
+            testit()
     else:
         testit()
diff --git a/pandas/tests/io/test_sql.py b/pandas/tests/io/test_sql.py
index 52869f3f2fd42..6fb120faa6db2 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/io/test_sql.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/io/test_sql.py
@@ -2896,7 +2896,7 @@ def test_execute_fail(self):
         sql.execute('INSERT INTO test VALUES("foo", "bar", 1.234)', self.conn)
         sql.execute('INSERT INTO test VALUES("foo", "baz", 2.567)', self.conn)
 
-        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="<insert message here>"):
             sql.execute('INSERT INTO test VALUES("foo", "bar", 7)', self.conn)
 
     def test_execute_closed_connection(self, request, datapath):
@@ -2917,7 +2917,7 @@ def test_execute_closed_connection(self, request, datapath):
         sql.execute('INSERT INTO test VALUES("foo", "bar", 1.234)', self.conn)
         self.conn.close()
 
-        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="<insert message here>"):
             tquery("select * from test", con=self.conn)
 
         # Initialize connection again (needed for tearDown)