diff --git a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
index c26d4818c..5c9c175a9 100644
--- a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
+++ b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
@@ -81,9 +81,12 @@ class ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec extends Specification{
         def child1 = QualifiedName.ofTable(catalog, database, "c1")
         def child2 = QualifiedName.ofTable(catalog, database, "c2")
         def type = "clone";
+
+        when:
         service.createParentChildRelation(parent, child1, type)
         service.createParentChildRelation(parent, child2, type)
 
+        then:
         // Test Parent
         assert service.getParent(parent) == null
 
@@ -98,7 +101,7 @@ class ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec extends Specification{
 
         // Test Child 1
         assert child_parent_expected == service.getParent(child1)
-        assert service.getChildren(child1) == 0
+        assert service.getChildren(child1).size() == 0
 
         assert child_parent_expected == service.getParent(child2)
         assert service.getChildren(child2).size() == 0
@@ -111,7 +114,13 @@ class ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec extends Specification{
         def child = QualifiedName.ofTable(catalog, database, "c")
         def type = "clone"
         service.createParentChildRelation(parent1, child, type)
-        assertThrows(RuntimeException.class, service.createParentChildRelation(parent2, child, type))
+
+        when:
+        service.createParentChildRelation(parent2, child, type)
+
+        then:
+        def e = thrown(RuntimeException)
+        e.message == "Cannot have a child table having more than one parent - Child Table: ${catalog}/${database}/c already have a parent Table=${catalog}/${database}/p1"
 
         // Test Child
         def child_parent_expected = new ParentInfo(parent1.toString(), type)
@@ -127,8 +136,12 @@ class ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec extends Specification{
         def grandChild = QualifiedName.ofTable(catalog, database, "gc")
         def type = "clone"
         service.createParentChildRelation(parent, child, type)
-        assertThrows(RuntimeException.class, service.createParentChildRelation(child, grandChild, type))
 
+        when:
+        service.createParentChildRelation(child, grandChild, type)
+
+        then:
+        def e = thrown(RuntimeException)
         // Test Child
         def child_parent_expected = new ParentInfo(parent.toString(), type)
         def child_parent_actual = service.getParent(child)