diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/expect.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/expect.ts
index af2c055a82..05b0922f2f 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/expect.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/expect.ts
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ class ExpectMetaInfoProxyHandler {
 
   get(target: any, prop: any, receiver: any): any {
     const value = Reflect.get(target, prop, receiver);
+    if (value === undefined)
+      throw new Error(`expect: Property '${prop}' not found.`);
     if (typeof value !== 'function')
       return new Proxy(value, this);
     return (...args: any[]) => {
diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/util.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/util.ts
index 61d37b2e7e..32c130ff15 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/util.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/util.ts
@@ -277,4 +277,3 @@ export function getPackageJsonPath(folderPath: string): string {
   folderToPackageJsonPath.set(folderPath, result);
   return result;
 }
-
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/expect.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/expect.spec.ts
index e3fd55b60c..b1cb90531c 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/expect.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/expect.spec.ts
@@ -233,3 +233,71 @@ test('should propose only the relevant matchers when custom expect matcher class
   });
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
 });
+
+test.describe('helpful expect errors', () => {
+  test('top-level', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+    const result = await runInlineTest({
+      'a.spec.ts': `
+        const { test } = pwt;
+        test('explodes', () => {
+          expect(1).nope();
+        });
+      `
+    });
+
+    expect(result.output).toContain(`expect: Property 'nope' not found.`);
+  });
+
+  test('soft', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+    const result = await runInlineTest({
+      'a.spec.ts': `
+        const { test } = pwt;
+        test('explodes', () => {
+          expect.soft(1).nope();
+        });
+      `
+    });
+
+    expect(result.output).toContain(`expect: Property 'nope' not found.`);
+  });
+
+  test('poll', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+    const result = await runInlineTest({
+      'a.spec.ts': `
+        const { test } = pwt;
+        test('explodes', () => {
+          expect.poll(() => {}).nope();
+        });
+      `
+    });
+
+    expect(result.output).toContain(`expect: Property 'nope' not found.`);
+  });
+
+  test('not', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+    const result = await runInlineTest({
+      'a.spec.ts': `
+        const { test } = pwt;
+        test('explodes', () => {
+          expect(1).not.nope();
+        });
+      `
+    });
+
+    expect(result.output).toContain(`expect: Property 'nope' not found.`);
+  });
+
+  test('bare', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
+    const result = await runInlineTest({
+      'a.spec.ts': `
+        const { test } = pwt;
+        test('explodes', () => {
+          expect('');
+        });
+      `
+    });
+
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.passed).toBe(1);
+  });
+});