diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-settings.R b/tests/testthat/test-settings.R
index 3d7d0b31a..e3b944a2c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-settings.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-settings.R
@@ -74,11 +74,9 @@ test_that("it errors if the config file does not end in a newline", {
   expect_error(read_settings("foo"), "Malformed config file")
 })
 
-test_that("with_defaults works as expected", {
-  # test capturing unnamed args
-  defaults <- with_defaults(assignment_linter)
+test_that("with_defaults works as expected with unnamed args", {
   # assignment_linter is in defaults, so output doesn't change
-  expect_equal(names(defaults), names(with_defaults()))
+  expect_named(with_defaults(assignment_linter), names(with_defaults()))
 })
 
 test_that("rot utility works as intended", {
@@ -106,8 +104,8 @@ test_that("logical_env utility works as intended", {
 
 # fixing #774
 test_that("with_defaults doesn't break on very long input", {
-  expect_equal(
-    names(with_defaults(
+  expect_named(
+    with_defaults(
       default = list(),
       lintr::undesirable_function_linter(c(
         detach = paste(
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ test_that("with_defaults doesn't break on very long input", {
           "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
         )
       ))
-    )),
+    ),
     "lintr::undesirable_function_linter"
   )
 })