diff --git a/sync3/connmap_test.go b/sync3/connmap_test.go
index da6ff364..8fbcf8cd 100644
--- a/sync3/connmap_test.go
+++ b/sync3/connmap_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/matrix-org/complement/must"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/sliding-sync/sync3/caches"
 )
 
@@ -17,6 +16,15 @@ const (
 	bob   = "@bob:localhost"
 )
 
+// mustEqual ensures that got==want else logs an error.
+// The 'msg' is displayed with the error to provide extra context.
+func mustEqual[V comparable](t *testing.T, got, want V, msg string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Equal %s: got '%v' want '%v'", msg, got, want)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestConnMap(t *testing.T) {
 	cm := NewConnMap(false, time.Minute)
 	cid := ConnID{UserID: alice, DeviceID: "A", CID: "room-list"}
@@ -24,13 +32,13 @@ func TestConnMap(t *testing.T) {
 	conn := cm.CreateConn(cid, cancel, func() ConnHandler {
 		return &mockConnHandler{}
 	})
-	must.Equal(t, conn.ConnID, cid, "cid mismatch")
+	mustEqual(t, conn.ConnID, cid, "cid mismatch")
 
 	// lookups work
-	must.Equal(t, cm.Conn(cid), conn, "*Conn wasn't the same when fetched via Conn(ConnID)")
+	mustEqual(t, cm.Conn(cid), conn, "*Conn wasn't the same when fetched via Conn(ConnID)")
 	conns := cm.Conns(cid.UserID, cid.DeviceID)
-	must.Equal(t, len(conns), 1, "Conns length mismatch")
-	must.Equal(t, conns[0], conn, "*Conn wasn't the same when fetched via Conns()[0]")
+	mustEqual(t, len(conns), 1, "Conns length mismatch")
+	mustEqual(t, conns[0], conn, "*Conn wasn't the same when fetched via Conns()[0]")
 }
 
 func TestConnMap_CloseConnsForDevice(t *testing.T) {
@@ -85,7 +93,7 @@ func TestConnMap_CloseConnsForUser(t *testing.T) {
 
 	num := cm.CloseConnsForUsers([]string{alice})
 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond) // some stuff happens asyncly in goroutines
-	must.Equal(t, num, 6, "unexpected number of closed conns")
+	mustEqual(t, num, 6, "unexpected number of closed conns")
 
 	// Destroy should have been called for all alice connections
 	assertDestroyedConns(t, cidToConn, func(cid ConnID) bool {
@@ -183,7 +191,7 @@ func TestConnMap_TTLExpiryStaggeredDevices(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	sort.Strings(gotIDs)
 	wantIDs := []string{"encryption", "notifications"}
-	must.Equal(t, len(conns), 2, "unexpected number of Conns for device")
+	mustEqual(t, len(conns), 2, "unexpected number of Conns for device")
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(gotIDs, wantIDs) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected active conns: got %v want %v", gotIDs, wantIDs)
 	}
@@ -193,9 +201,9 @@ func assertDestroyedConns(t *testing.T, cidToConn map[ConnID]*Conn, isDestroyedF
 	t.Helper()
 	for cid, conn := range cidToConn {
 		if isDestroyedFn(cid) {
-			must.Equal(t, conn.handler.(*mockConnHandler).isDestroyed, true, fmt.Sprintf("conn %+v was not destroyed", cid))
+			mustEqual(t, conn.handler.(*mockConnHandler).isDestroyed, true, fmt.Sprintf("conn %+v was not destroyed", cid))
 		} else {
-			must.Equal(t, conn.handler.(*mockConnHandler).isDestroyed, false, fmt.Sprintf("conn %+v was destroyed", cid))
+			mustEqual(t, conn.handler.(*mockConnHandler).isDestroyed, false, fmt.Sprintf("conn %+v was destroyed", cid))
 		}
 	}
 }