diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NoMasterNodeTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NoMasterNodeTests.java
index b870df2363c..1689dc20a18 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NoMasterNodeTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NoMasterNodeTests.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.cluster;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionRequestBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.bulk.BulkRequestBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.percolate.PercolateSourceBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.block.ClusterBlockException;
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ import java.util.HashMap;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings.settingsBuilder;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.Scope;
+import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.assertThrows;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 
 /**
@@ -76,161 +78,121 @@ public class NoMasterNodeTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
             }
         });
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareGet("test", "type1", "1").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareGet("test", "type1", "1"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareGet("no_index", "type1", "1").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareGet("no_index", "type1", "1"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareMultiGet().add("test", "type1", "1").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareMultiGet().add("test", "type1", "1"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareMultiGet().add("no_index", "type1", "1").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareMultiGet().add("no_index", "type1", "1"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            PercolateSourceBuilder percolateSource = new PercolateSourceBuilder();
-            percolateSource.percolateDocument().setDoc(new HashMap());
-            client().preparePercolate()
-                    .setIndices("test").setDocumentType("type1")
-                    .setSource(percolateSource).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        PercolateSourceBuilder percolateSource = new PercolateSourceBuilder();
+        percolateSource.percolateDocument().setDoc(new HashMap());
+        assertThrows(client().preparePercolate()
+                        .setIndices("test").setDocumentType("type1")
+                        .setSource(percolateSource),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            PercolateSourceBuilder percolateSource = new PercolateSourceBuilder();
-            percolateSource.percolateDocument().setDoc(new HashMap());
-            client().preparePercolate()
-                    .setIndices("no_index").setDocumentType("type1")
-                    .setSource(percolateSource).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        percolateSource = new PercolateSourceBuilder();
+        percolateSource.percolateDocument().setDoc(new HashMap());
+        assertThrows(client().preparePercolate()
+                        .setIndices("no_index").setDocumentType("type1")
+                        .setSource(percolateSource),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            client().prepareUpdate("test", "type1", "1").setScript("test script", ScriptService.ScriptType.INLINE).setTimeout(timeout).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
 
-        now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            client().prepareUpdate("no_index", "type1", "1").setScript("test script", ScriptService.ScriptType.INLINE).setTimeout(timeout).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().admin().indices().prepareAnalyze("test", "this is a test"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().admin().indices().prepareAnalyze("test", "this is a test").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().admin().indices().prepareAnalyze("no_index", "this is a test"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().admin().indices().prepareAnalyze("no_index", "this is a test").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareCount("test"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareCount("test").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        assertThrows(client().prepareCount("no_index"),
+                ClusterBlockException.class, RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        );
 
-        try {
-            client().prepareCount("no_index").execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        checkWriteAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout,
+                client().prepareUpdate("test", "type1", "1").setScript("test script", ScriptService.ScriptType.INLINE).setTimeout(timeout));
 
-        now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()).setTimeout(timeout).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
 
-        now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()).setTimeout(timeout).execute().actionGet();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
-            assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-        }
+        checkWriteAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout,
+                client().prepareUpdate("no_index", "type1", "1").setScript("test script", ScriptService.ScriptType.INLINE).setTimeout(timeout));
 
-        now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            BulkRequestBuilder bulkRequestBuilder = client().prepareBulk();
-            bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
-            bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "2").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
-            bulkRequestBuilder.setTimeout(timeout);
-            bulkRequestBuilder.get();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException e) {
-            // today, we clear the metadata on when there is no master, so it will go through the auto create logic and
-            // add it... (if set to true), if we didn't remove the metedata when there is no master, then, the non
-            // retry in bulk should be taken into account
-            if (!autoCreateIndex) {
-                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, lessThan(timeout.millis() / 2));
-            } else {
-                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-                assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-            }
-        }
 
-        now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        try {
-            BulkRequestBuilder bulkRequestBuilder = client().prepareBulk();
-            bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
-            bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "2").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
-            bulkRequestBuilder.setTimeout(timeout);
-            bulkRequestBuilder.get();
-            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
-        } catch (ClusterBlockException e) {
-            // today, we clear the metadata on when there is no master, so it will go through the auto create logic and
-            // add it... (if set to true), if we didn't remove the metedata when there is no master, then, the non
-            // retry in bulk should be taken into account
-            if (!autoCreateIndex) {
-                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, lessThan(timeout.millis() / 2));
-            } else {
-                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
-                assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
-            }
-        }
+        checkWriteAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout,
+                client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()).setTimeout(timeout));
+
+        checkWriteAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout,
+                client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()).setTimeout(timeout));
+
+        BulkRequestBuilder bulkRequestBuilder = client().prepareBulk();
+        bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
+        bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("test", "type1", "2").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
+        bulkRequestBuilder.setTimeout(timeout);
+        checkBulkAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout, bulkRequestBuilder);
+
+        bulkRequestBuilder = client().prepareBulk();
+        bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "1").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
+        bulkRequestBuilder.add(client().prepareIndex("no_index", "type1", "2").setSource(XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().endObject()));
+        bulkRequestBuilder.setTimeout(timeout);
+        checkBulkAction(autoCreateIndex, timeout, bulkRequestBuilder);
 
         internalCluster().startNode(settings);
         client().admin().cluster().prepareHealth().setWaitForGreenStatus().setWaitForNodes("2").execute().actionGet();
     }
+
+    void checkWriteAction(boolean autoCreateIndex, TimeValue timeout, ActionRequestBuilder<?, ?, ?, ?> builder) {
+        // we clean the metadata when loosing a master, therefore all operations on indices will auto create it, if allowed
+        long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        try {
+            builder.get();
+            fail("expected ClusterBlockException or MasterNotDiscoveredException");
+        } catch (ClusterBlockException | MasterNotDiscoveredException e) {
+            if (e instanceof MasterNotDiscoveredException) {
+                assertTrue(autoCreateIndex);
+            } else {
+                assertFalse(autoCreateIndex);
+            }
+            // verify we waited before giving up...
+            assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
+            assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
+        }
+    }
+
+    void checkBulkAction(boolean autoCreateIndex, TimeValue timeout, BulkRequestBuilder builder) {
+        // bulk operation do not throw MasterNotDiscoveredException exceptions. The only test that auto create kicked in and failed is
+        // via the timeout, as they do not wait on block :(
+
+        long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        try {
+            builder.get();
+            fail("Expected ClusterBlockException");
+        } catch (ClusterBlockException e) {
+            // today, we clear the metadata on when there is no master, so it will go through the auto create logic and
+            // add it... (if set to true), if we didn't remove the metedata when there is no master, then, the non
+            // retry in bulk should be taken into account
+            if (!autoCreateIndex) {
+                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, lessThan(timeout.millis() / 2));
+            } else {
+                assertThat(System.currentTimeMillis() - now, greaterThan(timeout.millis() - 50));
+                assertThat(e.status(), equalTo(RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE));
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/hamcrest/ElasticsearchAssertions.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/hamcrest/ElasticsearchAssertions.java
index 143de14e147..9938eb168e7 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/hamcrest/ElasticsearchAssertions.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/hamcrest/ElasticsearchAssertions.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.action.support.broadcast.BroadcastOperationResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.AcknowledgedRequestBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.AcknowledgedResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexTemplateMetaData;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.Nullable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.bytes.BytesReference;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.BytesStreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.BytesStreamOutput;
@@ -79,7 +80,6 @@ import static com.google.common.base.Predicates.isNull;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase.*;
 import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
-import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -439,31 +439,83 @@ public class ElasticsearchAssertions {
         return (T) q.getClauses()[i].getQuery();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Run the request from a given builder and check that it throws an exception of the right type
+     */
     public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionRequestBuilder<?, ?, ?, ?> builder, Class<E> exceptionClass) {
         assertThrows(builder.execute(), exceptionClass);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Run the request from a given builder and check that it throws an exception of the right type, with a given {@link org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus}
+     */
+    public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionRequestBuilder<?, ?, ?, ?> builder, Class<E> exceptionClass, RestStatus status) {
+        assertThrows(builder.execute(), exceptionClass, status);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Run the request from a given builder and check that it throws an exception of the right type
+     *
+     * @param extraInfo extra information to add to the failure message
+     */
     public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionRequestBuilder<?, ?, ?, ?> builder, Class<E> exceptionClass, String extraInfo) {
         assertThrows(builder.execute(), exceptionClass, extraInfo);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Run future.actionGet() and check that it throws an exception of the right type
+     */
     public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionFuture future, Class<E> exceptionClass) {
-        assertThrows(future, exceptionClass, null);
+        assertThrows(future, exceptionClass, null, null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Run future.actionGet() and check that it throws an exception of the right type, with a given {@link org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus}
+     */
+    public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionFuture future, Class<E> exceptionClass, RestStatus status) {
+        assertThrows(future, exceptionClass, status, null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Run future.actionGet() and check that it throws an exception of the right type
+     *
+     * @param extraInfo extra information to add to the failure message
+     */
     public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionFuture future, Class<E> exceptionClass, String extraInfo) {
+        assertThrows(future, exceptionClass, null, extraInfo);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Run future.actionGet() and check that it throws an exception of the right type, optionally checking the exception's rest status
+     *
+     * @param exceptionClass expected exception class
+     * @param status         {@link org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus} to check for. Can be null to disable the check
+     * @param extraInfo      extra information to add to the failure message. Can be null.
+     */
+    public static <E extends Throwable> void assertThrows(ActionFuture future, Class<E> exceptionClass, @Nullable RestStatus status, @Nullable String extraInfo) {
         boolean fail = false;
         extraInfo = extraInfo == null || extraInfo.isEmpty() ? "" : extraInfo + ": ";
         extraInfo += "expected a " + exceptionClass + " exception to be thrown";
 
+        if (status != null) {
+            extraInfo += " with status [" + status + "]";
+        }
+
+
         try {
             future.actionGet();
             fail = true;
 
         } catch (ElasticsearchException esException) {
             assertThat(extraInfo, esException.unwrapCause(), instanceOf(exceptionClass));
+            if (status != null) {
+                assertThat(extraInfo, ExceptionsHelper.status(esException), equalTo(status));
+            }
         } catch (Throwable e) {
             assertThat(extraInfo, e, instanceOf(exceptionClass));
+            if (status != null) {
+                assertThat(extraInfo, ExceptionsHelper.status(e), equalTo(status));
+            }
         }
         // has to be outside catch clause to get a proper message
         if (fail) {