diff --git a/test/functional/p2p_invalid_tx.py b/test/functional/p2p_invalid_tx.py
--- a/test/functional/p2p_invalid_tx.py
+++ b/test/functional/p2p_invalid_tx.py
@@ -170,8 +170,13 @@
             'Test a transaction that is rejected, with BIP61 disabled')
         self.restart_node(0, ['-enablebip61=0', '-persistmempool=0'])
         self.reconnect_p2p(num_connections=1)
-        node.p2p.send_txs_and_test(
-            [tx1], node, success=False, expect_disconnect=True)
+        with node.assert_debug_log(expected_msgs=[
+                "{} from peer=0 was not accepted: mandatory-script-verify-flag-failed (Invalid OP_IF construction) (code 16)".format(
+                    tx1.hash),
+                "disconnecting peer=0",
+        ]):
+            node.p2p.send_txs_and_test(
+                [tx1], node, success=False, expect_disconnect=True)
         # send_txs_and_test will have waited for disconnect, so we can safely check that no reject has been received
         assert_equal(node.p2p.reject_code_received, None)
 
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 """Class for bitcoind node under test"""
 
+import contextlib
 import decimal
 import errno
 import http.client
@@ -243,6 +244,24 @@
     def wait_until_stopped(self, timeout=BITCOIND_PROC_WAIT_TIMEOUT):
         wait_until(self.is_node_stopped, timeout=timeout)
 
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def assert_debug_log(self, expected_msgs):
+        debug_log = os.path.join(self.datadir, 'regtest', 'debug.log')
+        with open(debug_log, encoding='utf-8') as dl:
+            dl.seek(0, 2)
+            prev_size = dl.tell()
+        try:
+            yield
+        finally:
+            with open(debug_log, encoding='utf-8') as dl:
+                dl.seek(prev_size)
+                log = dl.read()
+            print_log = " - " + "\n - ".join(log.splitlines())
+            for expected_msg in expected_msgs:
+                if re.search(re.escape(expected_msg), log, flags=re.MULTILINE) is None:
+                    self._raise_assertion_error(
+                        'Expected message "{}" does not partially match log:\n\n{}\n\n'.format(expected_msg, print_log))
+
     def assert_start_raises_init_error(self, extra_args=None, expected_msg=None, partial_match=False, *args, **kwargs):
         """Attempt to start the node and expect it to raise an error.