diff --git a/test/functional/p2p_segwit.py b/test/functional/p2p_segwit.py
index b398ef51e1..d316c4b602 100755
--- a/test/functional/p2p_segwit.py
+++ b/test/functional/p2p_segwit.py
@@ -706,14 +706,14 @@ def test_p2sh_witness(self):
         # segwit activation.  Note that older bitcoind's that are not
         # segwit-aware would also reject this for failing CLEANSTACK.
         with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(
-                expected_msgs=(spend_tx.hash, 'was not accepted: mandatory-script-verify-flag-failed (Witness program was passed an empty witness)')):
+                expected_msgs=[spend_tx.hash, 'was not accepted: mandatory-script-verify-flag-failed (Witness program was passed an empty witness)']):
             test_transaction_acceptance(self.nodes[0], self.test_node, spend_tx, with_witness=False, accepted=False)
 
         # Try to put the witness script in the scriptSig, should also fail.
         spend_tx.vin[0].scriptSig = CScript([p2wsh_pubkey, b'a'])
         spend_tx.rehash()
         with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(
-                expected_msgs=(spend_tx.hash, 'was not accepted: mandatory-script-verify-flag-failed (Script evaluated without error but finished with a false/empty top stack element)')):
+                expected_msgs=[spend_tx.hash, 'was not accepted: mandatory-script-verify-flag-failed (Script evaluated without error but finished with a false/empty top stack element)']):
             test_transaction_acceptance(self.nodes[0], self.test_node, spend_tx, with_witness=False, accepted=False)
 
         # Now put the witness script in the witness, should succeed after
diff --git a/test/functional/p2p_v2_transport.py b/test/functional/p2p_v2_transport.py
index 99417a17a9..5ad2194b84 100755
--- a/test/functional/p2p_v2_transport.py
+++ b/test/functional/p2p_v2_transport.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def run_test(self):
         wrong_network_magic_prefix = MAGIC_BYTES["signet"] + V1_PREFIX[4:]
         with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s:
             s.connect(("127.0.0.1", p2p_port(0)))
-            with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log("V2 transport error: V1 peer with wrong MessageStart"):
+            with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(["V2 transport error: V1 peer with wrong MessageStart"]):
                 s.sendall(wrong_network_magic_prefix + b"somepayload")
 
         # Check detection of missing garbage terminator (hits after fixed amount of data if terminator never matches garbage)
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def run_test(self):
             self.wait_until(lambda: len(self.nodes[0].getpeerinfo()) == num_peers + 1)
             s.sendall(b'\x00' * (MAX_KEY_GARB_AND_GARBTERM_LEN - 1))
             self.wait_until(lambda: self.nodes[0].getpeerinfo()[-1]["bytesrecv"] == MAX_KEY_GARB_AND_GARBTERM_LEN - 1)
-            with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log("V2 transport error: missing garbage terminator"):
+            with self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(["V2 transport error: missing garbage terminator"]):
                 s.sendall(b'\x00')  # send out last byte
                 # should disconnect immediately
                 self.wait_until(lambda: len(self.nodes[0].getpeerinfo()) == num_peers)
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index 4d7adf322c..c77cfbdd91 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -448,6 +448,9 @@ def debug_log_size(self, **kwargs) -> int:
     def assert_debug_log(self, expected_msgs, unexpected_msgs=None, timeout=2):
         if unexpected_msgs is None:
             unexpected_msgs = []
+        assert_equal(type(expected_msgs), list)
+        assert_equal(type(unexpected_msgs), list)
+
         time_end = time.time() + timeout * self.timeout_factor
         prev_size = self.debug_log_size(encoding="utf-8")  # Must use same encoding that is used to read() below