diff --git a/mozmill/mozmill/extension/resource/modules/controller.js b/mozmill/mozmill/extension/resource/modules/controller.js
index 4ee38505..3a520bac 100644
--- a/mozmill/mozmill/extension/resource/modules/controller.js
+++ b/mozmill/mozmill/extension/resource/modules/controller.js
@@ -782,40 +782,29 @@ MozMillController.prototype.assertProperty = function(el, attrib, val) {
     return false;
   }
   var value = eval('element.' + attrib + ';');
-  var res = (element.hasAttribute(attrib) && (val == undefined ? true : String(value) == String(val)));
+  var res = (String(value) == String(val));
   if (res) {
     frame.events.pass({'function':'Controller.assertProperty("' + el.getInfo() + '") : ' + val});
   } else {
-    throw new Error("Controller.assertProperty(" + el.getInfo() + ") : " + 
-                     (val == undefined ? "property '" + attrib + "' doesn't exist" : val + " == " + value));
+    throw new Error("Controller.assertProperty(" + el.getInfo() + ") : " + val + " == " + value);
   }
 
   return res;
 };
 
-// Assert that an element's property doesn't have a particular value
-MozMillController.prototype.assertNotProperty = function(el, attrib, val) {
+// Assert that an element's property does not exist
+MozMillController.prototype.assertPropertyNotExist = function(el, attrib) {
   var element = el.getNode();
-  if (!element){
+  if (!element) {
     throw new Error("could not find element " + el.getInfo());
-    return false;
+	return false;
   }
-  var value = eval('element.' + attrib + ';');
-  var res = (val == undefined ? !element.hasAttribute(attrib) : String(value) != String(val));
-  if (res) {
-    frame.events.pass({'function':'Controller.assertNotProperty("' + el.getInfo() + '") : ' + val});
-  } else {
-    throw new Error("Controller.assertProperty(" + el.getInfo() + ") : " +
-                     (val == undefined ? "property '" + attrib + "' exists" : val + " != " + value));
+  if (!element.hasAttribute(attrib)) {
+    frame.events.pass({'function':'Controller.assertPropertyNotExist()'});
+    return true;
   }
-
-  return res;
-};
-
-// deprecated - Use assertNotProperty instead
-MozMillController.prototype.assertPropertyNotExist = function(el, attrib) {
-  frame.log({function:'assertPropertyNotExist(el, attrib) - Deprecation Warning', message:'use assertNotProperty(el, attrib) instead'});
-  return this.assertNotProperty(el, attrib);
+  throw new Error("assert failed for checked element " + el.getInfo());
+  return false;
 };
 
 // Assert that a specified image has actually loaded