diff --git a/tests/spec/lualine_spec.lua b/tests/spec/lualine_spec.lua
index 9e39570..f433c7d 100644
--- a/tests/spec/lualine_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/spec/lualine_spec.lua
@@ -253,12 +253,7 @@ describe('Lualine', function()
     require('lualine').setup(config)
     local old_ft = vim.bo.ft
     vim.bo.ft = 'test_ft'
-    statusline:expect([===[
-    highlights = {
-        1: StatusLine = { bold = true, reverse = true }
-    }
-    ||
-    ]===])
+    statusline:expect(nil)
     vim.bo.ft = old_ft
   end)
 
diff --git a/tests/statusline.lua b/tests/statusline.lua
index 6f6a987..0dac80d 100644
--- a/tests/statusline.lua
+++ b/tests/statusline.lua
@@ -210,6 +210,11 @@ local function eval_stl(stl_expr, width, eval_type)
 end
 
 function M:expect_expr(expect, expr)
+  if expr == nil then
+    -- test if both are nil when running expect against nil
+    assert.are.same(expect, nil)
+    return
+  end
   expect = helpers.dedent(expect)
   local actual = eval_stl(expr, self.width, self.type)
   local matched = true