diff --git a/src/tests/DawnTest.cpp b/src/tests/DawnTest.cpp
index cc667e4767..f512c8aceb 100644
--- a/src/tests/DawnTest.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/DawnTest.cpp
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ namespace {
         }
     }
 
-    // End2end tests should test valid commands produce the expected result so no error
-    // should happen. Failure cases should be tested in the validation tests.
-    void DeviceErrorCauseTestFailure(const char* message, dawnCallbackUserdata) {
-        FAIL() << "Device level failure: " << message;
-    }
-
     struct MapReadUserdata {
         DawnTest* test;
         size_t slot;
@@ -315,8 +309,8 @@ void DawnTest::SetUp() {
         static_cast<dawn::TextureFormat>(mBinding->GetPreferredSwapChainTextureFormat()),
         dawn::TextureUsageBit::OutputAttachment, 400, 400);
 
-    // The end2end tests should never cause validation errors. These should be tested in unittests.
-    device.SetErrorCallback(DeviceErrorCauseTestFailure, 0);
+    device.SetErrorCallback(OnDeviceError,
+                            static_cast<dawnCallbackUserdata>(reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(this)));
 }
 
 void DawnTest::TearDown() {
@@ -330,6 +324,24 @@ void DawnTest::TearDown() {
     }
 }
 
+void DawnTest::StartExpectDeviceError() {
+    mExpectError = true;
+    mError = false;
+}
+bool DawnTest::EndExpectDeviceError() {
+    mExpectError = false;
+    return mError;
+}
+
+// static
+void DawnTest::OnDeviceError(const char* message, dawnCallbackUserdata userdata) {
+    DawnTest* self = reinterpret_cast<DawnTest*>(static_cast<uintptr_t>(userdata));
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(self->mExpectError) << "Got unexpected device error: " << message;
+    ASSERT_FALSE(self->mError) << "Got two errors in expect block";
+    self->mError = true;
+}
+
 std::ostringstream& DawnTest::AddBufferExpectation(const char* file,
                                                    int line,
                                                    const dawn::Buffer& buffer,
diff --git a/src/tests/DawnTest.h b/src/tests/DawnTest.h
index d2daa4bb71..3d2b879711 100644
--- a/src/tests/DawnTest.h
+++ b/src/tests/DawnTest.h
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@
                           sizeof(RGBA8),                                                  \
                           new detail::ExpectEq<RGBA8>(expected, (width) * (height)))
 
+// Should only be used to test validation of function that can't be tested by regular validation
+// tests;
+#define ASSERT_DEVICE_ERROR(statement) \
+    StartExpectDeviceError();          \
+    statement;                         \
+    ASSERT_TRUE(EndExpectDeviceError());
+
 struct RGBA8 {
     constexpr RGBA8() : RGBA8(0, 0, 0, 0) {
     }
@@ -124,6 +131,9 @@ class DawnTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<dawn_native::BackendType> {
     bool IsLinux() const;
     bool IsMacOS() const;
 
+    void StartExpectDeviceError();
+    bool EndExpectDeviceError();
+
   protected:
     dawn::Device device;
     dawn::Queue queue;
@@ -160,6 +170,11 @@ class DawnTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<dawn_native::BackendType> {
     std::unique_ptr<utils::TerribleCommandBuffer> mS2cBuf;
     void FlushWire();
 
+    // Tracking for validation errors
+    static void OnDeviceError(const char* message, dawnCallbackUserdata userdata);
+    bool mExpectError = false;
+    bool mError = false;
+
     // MapRead buffers used to get data for the expectations
     struct ReadbackSlot {
         dawn::Buffer buffer;
diff --git a/src/tests/end2end/BasicTests.cpp b/src/tests/end2end/BasicTests.cpp
index 0400e06d3f..cd8c373c5a 100644
--- a/src/tests/end2end/BasicTests.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/end2end/BasicTests.cpp
@@ -33,4 +33,16 @@ TEST_P(BasicTests, BufferSetSubData) {
     EXPECT_BUFFER_U32_EQ(value, buffer, 0);
 }
 
+// Test a validation error for buffer setSubData, but really this is the most basic test possible
+// for ASSERT_DEVICE_ERROR
+TEST_P(BasicTests, BufferSetSubDataError) {
+    dawn::BufferDescriptor descriptor;
+    descriptor.size = 4;
+    descriptor.usage = dawn::BufferUsageBit::TransferSrc | dawn::BufferUsageBit::TransferDst;
+    dawn::Buffer buffer = device.CreateBuffer(&descriptor);
+
+    uint8_t value = 187;
+    ASSERT_DEVICE_ERROR(buffer.SetSubData(1000, sizeof(value), &value));
+}
+
 DAWN_INSTANTIATE_TEST(BasicTests, D3D12Backend, MetalBackend, OpenGLBackend, VulkanBackend);
diff --git a/src/tests/unittests/validation/ValidationTest.cpp b/src/tests/unittests/validation/ValidationTest.cpp
index e14a014a46..db344ef275 100644
--- a/src/tests/unittests/validation/ValidationTest.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/unittests/validation/ValidationTest.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ std::string ValidationTest::GetLastDeviceErrorMessage() const {
     return mDeviceErrorMessage;
 }
 
+// static
 void ValidationTest::OnDeviceError(const char* message, dawnCallbackUserdata userdata) {
     auto self = reinterpret_cast<ValidationTest*>(static_cast<uintptr_t>(userdata));
     self->mDeviceErrorMessage = message;
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ void ValidationTest::OnDeviceError(const char* message, dawnCallbackUserdata use
     self->mError = true;
 }
 
+// static
 void ValidationTest::OnBuilderErrorStatus(dawnBuilderErrorStatus status, const char* message, dawn::CallbackUserdata userdata1, dawn::CallbackUserdata userdata2) {
     auto* self = reinterpret_cast<ValidationTest*>(static_cast<uintptr_t>(userdata1));
     size_t index = static_cast<size_t>(userdata2);