diff --git a/act/runner/job_executor_test.go b/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
index cd940f8d..f5c6e110 100644
--- a/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
+++ b/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ import (
 func TestJobExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 	tables := []TestJobFileInfo{
 		{workdir, "uses-and-run-in-one-step", "push", "Invalid run/uses syntax for job:test step:Test", platforms, secrets},
-		{workdir, "uses-github-empty", "push", "Expected format {org}/{repo}[/path]@ref", platforms, secrets},
+		{workdir, "uses-github-empty", "push", "job:test step:empty", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-github-noref", "push", "Expected format {org}/{repo}[/path]@ref", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-github-root", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-github-path", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-docker-url", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-github-full-sha", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
-		{workdir, "uses-github-short-sha", "push", "Unable to resolve action `actions/hello-world-docker-action@b136eb8`, the provided ref `b136eb8` is the shortened version of a commit SHA, which is not supported. Please use the full commit SHA `b136eb8894c5cb1dd5807da824be97ccdf9b5423` instead", platforms, secrets},
+		{workdir, "uses-github-short-sha", "push", "Please use the full commit SHA", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "job-nil-step", "push", "invalid Step 0: missing run or uses key", platforms, secrets},
 	}
 	// These tests are sufficient to only check syntax.
diff --git a/act/runner/runner_test.go b/act/runner/runner_test.go
index 34045bd0..b3401125 100644
--- a/act/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/act/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	assert "github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
 	"code.forgejo.org/forgejo/runner/v9/act/common"
@@ -209,7 +210,8 @@ func (j *TestJobFileInfo) runTest(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, cfg *Config
 			if j.errorMessage == "" {
 				assert.NoError(t, err, fullWorkflowPath)
 			} else {
-				assert.Error(t, err, j.errorMessage)
+				require.Error(t, err, j.errorMessage)
+				assert.ErrorContains(t, err, j.errorMessage)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ func TestRunner_RunEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		{workdir, "evalmatrix-merge-array", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 
 		{workdir, "basic", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
-		{workdir, "fail", "push", "exit with `FAILURE`: 1", platforms, secrets},
+		{workdir, "fail", "push", "Job 'build' failed", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "runs-on", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "checkout", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "job-container", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
@@ -294,7 +296,7 @@ func TestRunner_RunEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		{workdir, "networking", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "steps-context/conclusion", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "steps-context/outcome", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
-		{workdir, "job-status-check", "push", "job 'fail' failed", platforms, secrets},
+		{workdir, "job-status-check", "push", "Job 'fail' failed", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "if-expressions", "push", "Job 'mytest' failed", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "actions-environment-and-context-tests", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "uses-action-with-pre-and-post-step", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
@@ -313,7 +315,7 @@ func TestRunner_RunEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		{workdir, "do-not-leak-step-env-in-composite", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "set-env-step-env-override", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "set-env-new-env-file-per-step", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
-		{workdir, "no-panic-on-invalid-composite-action", "push", "jobs failed due to invalid action", platforms, secrets},
+		{workdir, "no-panic-on-invalid-composite-action", "push", "missing steps in composite action", platforms, secrets},
 		{workdir, "tool-cache", "push", "", platforms, secrets},
 
 		// services
diff --git a/act/runner/step_action_remote.go b/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
index 920960c5..fdbbf794 100644
--- a/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
+++ b/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ func (sar *stepActionRemote) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		// For gitea:
 		// Since actions can specify the download source via a url prefix.
 		// The prefix may contain some sensitive information that needs to be stored in secrets,
 		// so we need to interpolate the expression value for uses first.
@@ -50,7 +49,7 @@ func (sar *stepActionRemote) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
 
 		sar.remoteAction = newRemoteAction(sar.Step.Uses)
 		if sar.remoteAction == nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Expected format {org}/{repo}[/path]@ref. Actual '%s' Input string was not in a correct format", sar.Step.Uses)
+			return fmt.Errorf("Expected format {org}/{repo}[/path]@ref or https://example.com/{org}/{repo}[/path]@ref. Actual '%s' Input string was not in a correct format", sar.Step.Uses)
 		}
 
 		github := sar.getGithubContext(ctx)