diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ssl.py b/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
index bd831ac2241..794944afd66 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
@@ -3867,7 +3867,7 @@ class ThreadedTests(unittest.TestCase):
                                             server_hostname=hostname) as s:
                 with self.assertRaises(ssl.SSLError) as e:
                     s.connect((HOST, server.port))
-                self.assertRegex("(alert|ALERT)", str(e.exception))
+                self.assertRegex(str(e.exception), "(alert|ALERT)")
 
     @requires_tls_version('SSLv3')
     def test_min_max_version_sslv3(self):
@@ -4182,7 +4182,7 @@ class ThreadedTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
             # Allow for flexible libssl error messages.
             regex = "(SSLV3_ALERT_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE|NO_PRIVATE_VALUE)"
-            self.assertRegex(regex, cm.exception.reason)
+            self.assertRegex(cm.exception.reason, regex)
             self.assertEqual(catch.unraisable.exc_type, ZeroDivisionError)
 
     def test_sni_callback_wrong_return_type(self):