diff --git a/exercises/change/change_test.py b/exercises/change/change_test.py
index 62da0dbab82..7d066074e23 100644
--- a/exercises/change/change_test.py
+++ b/exercises/change/change_test.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 from change import find_minimum_coins
 
-# Tests adapted from `problem-specifications//canonical-data.json` @ v1.1.0
 
+# Tests adapted from `problem-specifications//canonical-data.json` @ v1.2.0
 
 class ChangeTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_single_coin_change(self):
@@ -37,13 +37,26 @@ def test_no_coins_make_0_change(self):
         self.assertEqual(find_minimum_coins(0, [1, 5, 10, 21, 25]), [])
 
     def test_error_testing_for_change_smaller_than_smallest_coin(self):
-        self.assertEqual(find_minimum_coins(3, [5, 10]), -1)
+        with self.assertRaisesWithMessage(ValueError):
+            find_minimum_coins(3, [5, 10])
 
     def test_error_if_no_combination_can_add_up_to_target(self):
-        self.assertEqual(find_minimum_coins(94, [5, 10]), -1)
+        with self.assertRaisesWithMessage(ValueError):
+            find_minimum_coins(94, [5, 10])
 
     def test_cannot_find_negative_change_values(self):
-        self.assertEqual(find_minimum_coins(-5, [1, 2, 5]), -1)
+        with self.assertRaisesWithMessage(ValueError):
+            find_minimum_coins(-5, [1, 2, 5])
+
+    # Utility functions
+    def setUp(self):
+        try:
+            self.assertRaisesRegex
+        except AttributeError:
+            self.assertRaisesRegex = self.assertRaisesRegexp
+
+    def assertRaisesWithMessage(self, exception):
+        return self.assertRaisesRegex(exception, r".+")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/exercises/change/example.py b/exercises/change/example.py
index 895145fe575..edcffcad6f5 100644
--- a/exercises/change/example.py
+++ b/exercises/change/example.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 def find_minimum_coins(total_change, coins):
     if total_change < 0:
-        return -1
+        raise ValueError("cannot find negative change values")
     min_coins_required = [1e9] * (total_change + 1)
     last_coin = [0]*(total_change + 1)
     min_coins_required[0] = 0
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def find_minimum_coins(total_change, coins):
                     last_coin[change] = change - coin
         min_coins_required[change] = final_result
     if min_coins_required[total_change] == 1e9:
-        return -1
+        raise ValueError("no combination can add up to target")
     else:
         last_coin_value = total_change
         array = []