diff --git a/unittest/c-library/test_library_properties.cpp b/unittest/c-library/test_library_properties.cpp
index d6dd55f75e..a684ce8c27 100644
--- a/unittest/c-library/test_library_properties.cpp
+++ b/unittest/c-library/test_library_properties.cpp
@@ -461,9 +461,6 @@ TEST_F(LibraryProperties, neighlist)
 
 TEST_F(LibraryProperties, has_error)
 {
-    // need errors to throw exceptions to be able to intercept them.
-    if (!lammps_config_has_exceptions()) GTEST_SKIP();
-
     EXPECT_EQ(lammps_has_error(lmp), 0);
 
     // trigger an error, but hide output
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_compute_chunk.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_compute_chunk.cpp
index 3b306ab04b..8e919c0612 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_compute_chunk.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_compute_chunk.cpp
@@ -402,9 +402,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_compute_global.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_compute_global.cpp
index d7573d8d16..9f5dc5581d 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_compute_global.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_compute_global.cpp
@@ -301,9 +301,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_delete_atoms.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_delete_atoms.cpp
index e348000969..7c09e7497e 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_delete_atoms.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_delete_atoms.cpp
@@ -161,9 +161,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_groups.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_groups.cpp
index 57820a4548..b91a6108d9 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_groups.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_groups.cpp
@@ -469,9 +469,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_kim_commands.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_kim_commands.cpp
index 2e6e758c76..5f997dccdf 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_kim_commands.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_kim_commands.cpp
@@ -683,9 +683,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_labelmap.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_labelmap.cpp
index f25351e1d9..ebdab08ad3 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_labelmap.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_labelmap.cpp
@@ -299,9 +299,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_lattice_region.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_lattice_region.cpp
index 8dd15396b2..da36628b7f 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_lattice_region.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_lattice_region.cpp
@@ -632,9 +632,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_regions.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_regions.cpp
index 8d5134535a..370799afea 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_regions.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_regions.cpp
@@ -285,9 +285,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_reset_atoms.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_reset_atoms.cpp
index a0afe36324..d09a60c886 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_reset_atoms.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_reset_atoms.cpp
@@ -806,9 +806,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_set_property.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_set_property.cpp
index 62af47f2ed..36b86b3526 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_set_property.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_set_property.cpp
@@ -460,9 +460,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
index db6ee3c1e7..1c995603e1 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
@@ -560,9 +560,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_variables.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_variables.cpp
index 8debb95b6a..530c33fcfe 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_variables.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_variables.cpp
@@ -726,9 +726,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/cplusplus/test_advanced_utils.cpp b/unittest/cplusplus/test_advanced_utils.cpp
index 6b71c9ea34..0453ef0143 100644
--- a/unittest/cplusplus/test_advanced_utils.cpp
+++ b/unittest/cplusplus/test_advanced_utils.cpp
@@ -224,9 +224,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/cplusplus/test_error_class.cpp b/unittest/cplusplus/test_error_class.cpp
index 779cbfbba6..b7eecb0337 100644
--- a/unittest/cplusplus/test_error_class.cpp
+++ b/unittest/cplusplus/test_error_class.cpp
@@ -125,9 +125,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_file_operations.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_file_operations.cpp
index d48dee34b2..f1a6ce42f5 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_file_operations.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_file_operations.cpp
@@ -618,9 +618,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_molecule_file.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_molecule_file.cpp
index 2f4336ab8a..8fe1fc1eab 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_molecule_file.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_molecule_file.cpp
@@ -409,9 +409,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
index b19c4166a1..3d14a73d31 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
@@ -323,9 +323,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_text_file_reader.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_text_file_reader.cpp
index 3146740b3a..8615b71b2a 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_text_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_text_file_reader.cpp
@@ -166,9 +166,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
-    if (platform::mpi_vendor() == "Open MPI" && !Info::has_exceptions())
-        std::cout << "Warning: using OpenMPI without exceptions. Death tests will be skipped\n";
-
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
     if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
         std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
diff --git a/unittest/fortran/wrap_properties.cpp b/unittest/fortran/wrap_properties.cpp
index 50704d326a..6f2b1f64f9 100644
--- a/unittest/fortran/wrap_properties.cpp
+++ b/unittest/fortran/wrap_properties.cpp
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ TEST_F(LAMMPS_properties, extract_setting)
 
 TEST_F(LAMMPS_properties, has_error)
 {
-    // need errors to throw exceptions to be able to intercept them.
-    if (!lammps_config_has_exceptions()) GTEST_SKIP();
-
     EXPECT_EQ(f_lammps_has_error(), lammps_has_error(lmp));
     EXPECT_EQ(f_lammps_has_error(), 0);
 
diff --git a/unittest/python/python-open.py b/unittest/python/python-open.py
index 3c9165b8c8..f555be25dd 100644
--- a/unittest/python/python-open.py
+++ b/unittest/python/python-open.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from lammps import lammps
 
 has_mpi=False
 has_mpi4py=False
-has_exceptions=False
+
 try:
     from mpi4py import __version__ as mpi4py_version
     # tested to work with mpi4py versions 2 and 3
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ try:
         machine = ""
     lmp = lammps(name=machine)
     has_mpi = lmp.has_mpi_support
-    has_exceptions = lmp.has_exceptions
     lmp.close()
 except:
     pass
@@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ class PythonOpen(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(lmp.opened,1)
         lmp.close()
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(not has_exceptions,"Skipping death test since LAMMPS isn't compiled with exception support")
     def testUnknownCommand(self):
         lmp = lammps(name=self.machine)
 
@@ -88,7 +86,6 @@ class PythonOpen(unittest.TestCase):
 
         lmp.close()
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(not has_exceptions,"Skipping death test since LAMMPS isn't compiled with exception support")
     def testUnknownCommandInList(self):
         lmp = lammps(name=self.machine)
 
@@ -97,7 +94,6 @@ class PythonOpen(unittest.TestCase):
 
         lmp.close()
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(not has_exceptions,"Skipping death test since LAMMPS isn't compiled with exception support")
     def testUnknownCommandInString(self):
         lmp = lammps(name=self.machine)
 
diff --git a/unittest/testing/core.h b/unittest/testing/core.h
index 272d1d21c5..88503dc188 100644
--- a/unittest/testing/core.h
+++ b/unittest/testing/core.h
@@ -32,21 +32,12 @@ using LAMMPS_NS::LAMMPSException;
 
 using ::testing::ContainsRegex;
 
-#define TEST_FAILURE(errmsg, ...)                                                               \
-    if (Info::has_exceptions()) {                                                               \
-        ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();                                                   \
-        ASSERT_ANY_THROW({__VA_ARGS__});                                                        \
-        auto mesg = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();                                   \
-        ASSERT_THAT(mesg, ContainsRegex(errmsg));                                               \
-    } else {                                                                                    \
-        if (LAMMPS_NS::platform::mpi_vendor() != "Open MPI") {                                             \
-            ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();                                               \
-            ASSERT_DEATH({__VA_ARGS__}, "");                                                    \
-            auto mesg = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();                               \
-            ASSERT_THAT(mesg, ContainsRegex(errmsg));                                           \
-        } else {                                                                                \
-            std::cerr << "[          ] [ INFO ] Skipping death test (no exception support) \n"; \
-        }                                                                                       \
+#define TEST_FAILURE(errmsg, ...)                             \
+    {                                                         \
+        ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();                 \
+        ASSERT_ANY_THROW({__VA_ARGS__});                      \
+        auto mesg = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout(); \
+        ASSERT_THAT(mesg, ContainsRegex(errmsg));             \
     }
 
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
diff --git a/unittest/utils/test_lepton.cpp b/unittest/utils/test_lepton.cpp
index 415752c70d..7b2c86f05f 100644
--- a/unittest/utils/test_lepton.cpp
+++ b/unittest/utils/test_lepton.cpp
@@ -73,16 +73,14 @@ TEST_F(LeptonUtilsTest, substitute)
     lmp->update->reset_timestep(100LL, false);
     ASSERT_THAT(LeptonUtils::substitute("(2.5/v_pre)", lmp), StrEq("(2.5/0.1)"));
 
-    if (LAMMPS_NS::Info::has_exceptions()) {
-        bool caught = false;
-        try {
-            LeptonUtils::substitute("v_none", lmp);
-        } catch (std::exception &e) {
-            ASSERT_THAT(e.what(), StrEq("Variable none in expression v_none does not exist"));
-            caught = true;
-        }
-        ASSERT_TRUE(caught);
+    bool caught = false;
+    try {
+        LeptonUtils::substitute("v_none", lmp);
+    } catch (std::exception &e) {
+        ASSERT_THAT(e.what(), StrEq("Variable none in expression v_none does not exist"));
+        caught = true;
     }
+    ASSERT_TRUE(caught);
 }
 
 // zbl() custom function