diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/client/locator.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/client/locator.ts
index 45c4ad89c7..f4d31580bb 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/client/locator.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/client/locator.ts
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ export class Locator implements api.Locator {
     });
   }
 
-  async _expect(expression: string, options: FrameExpectOptions): Promise<{ pass: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }> {
+  async _expect(expression: string, options: FrameExpectOptions): Promise<{ matches: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }> {
     return this._frame._wrapApiCall(async (channel: channels.FrameChannel) => {
       const params: channels.FrameExpectParams = { selector: this._selector, expression, ...options, isNot: !!options.isNot };
       if (options.expectedValue)
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/dispatchers/frameDispatcher.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/dispatchers/frameDispatcher.ts
index f643174bbc..914cc7e9c1 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/dispatchers/frameDispatcher.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/dispatchers/frameDispatcher.ts
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ export class FrameDispatcher extends Dispatcher<Frame, channels.FrameInitializer
     const result = await this._frame.expect(metadata, params.selector, { ...params, expectedValue });
     if (result.received !== undefined)
       result.received = serializeResult(result.received);
-    if (result.pass === !!params.isNot)
+    if (result.matches === params.isNot)
       metadata.error = { error: { name: 'Expect', message: 'Expect failed' } };
     return result;
   }
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/channels.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/channels.ts
index d5eb8c91d5..61e65a7785 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/channels.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/channels.ts
@@ -2233,7 +2233,7 @@ export type FrameExpectOptions = {
   timeout?: number,
 };
 export type FrameExpectResult = {
-  pass: boolean,
+  matches: boolean,
   received?: SerializedValue,
   log?: string[],
 };
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/protocol.yml b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/protocol.yml
index a8be7fe47d..9ec1881aad 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/protocol.yml
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/protocol.yml
@@ -1802,7 +1802,7 @@ Frame:
         isNot: boolean
         timeout: number?
       returns:
-        pass: boolean
+        matches: boolean
         received: SerializedValue?
         log:
           type: array?
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
index 581fee02dc..5cfe760543 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/frames.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export type NavigationEvent = {
 };
 
 export type SchedulableTask<T> = (injectedScript: js.JSHandle<InjectedScript>) => Promise<js.JSHandle<InjectedScriptPoll<T>>>;
-export type DomTaskBody<T, R, E> = (progress: InjectedScriptProgress, element: E, data: T, elements: Element[], continuePolling: any) => R;
+export type DomTaskBody<T, R, E> = (progress: InjectedScriptProgress, element: E, data: T, elements: Element[], continuePolling: symbol) => R | symbol;
 
 export class FrameManager {
   private _page: Page;
@@ -1161,26 +1161,47 @@ export class Frame extends SdkObject {
     });
   }
 
-  async expect(metadata: CallMetadata, selector: string, options: FrameExpectParams): Promise<{ pass: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }> {
+  async expect(metadata: CallMetadata, selector: string, options: FrameExpectParams): Promise<{ matches: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }> {
     const controller = new ProgressController(metadata, this);
-    const isListMatcher = options.expression.endsWith('.array');
-    const querySelectorAll = options.expression === 'to.have.count' || isListMatcher;
+    const querySelectorAll = options.expression === 'to.have.count' || options.expression.endsWith('.array');
     const mainWorld = options.expression === 'to.have.property';
-    const expectsEmptyList = options.expectedText?.length === 0;
-    const omitAttached = (isListMatcher && options.isNot !== expectsEmptyList) || (!options.isNot && options.expression === 'to.be.hidden') || (options.isNot && options.expression === 'to.be.visible');
     return await this._scheduleRerunnableTaskWithController(controller, selector, (progress, element, options, elements, continuePolling) => {
-      // We don't have an element and we don't need an element => pass.
-      if (!element && options.omitAttached)
-        return { pass: !options.isNot };
-      // We don't have an element and we DO need an element => fail.
-      if (!element)
-        return { pass: !!options.isNot };
-      // We have an element.
-      return progress.injectedScript.expect(progress, element!, options, elements, continuePolling);
-    }, { omitAttached, ...options }, { strict: true, querySelectorAll, mainWorld, omitAttached, logScale: true, ...options }).catch(e => {
+      if (!element) {
+        // expect(locator).toBeHidden() passes when there is no element.
+        if (!options.isNot && options.expression === 'to.be.hidden')
+          return { matches: true };
+
+        // expect(locator).not.toBeVisible() passes when there is no element.
+        if (options.isNot && options.expression === 'to.be.visible')
+          return { matches: false };
+
+        // expect(listLocator).toHaveText([]) passes when there are no elements matching.
+        // expect(listLocator).not.toHaveText(['foo']) passes when there are no elements matching.
+        const expectsEmptyList = options.expectedText?.length === 0;
+        if (options.expression.endsWith('.array') && expectsEmptyList !== options.isNot)
+          return { matches: expectsEmptyList };
+
+        // When none of the above applies, keep waiting for the element.
+        return continuePolling;
+      }
+
+      const { matches, received } = progress.injectedScript.expect(progress, element, options, elements);
+      if (matches === options.isNot) {
+        // Keep waiting in these cases:
+        // expect(locator).conditionThatDoesNotMatch
+        // expect(locator).not.conditionThatDoesMatch
+        progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
+        if (!Array.isArray(received))
+          progress.log(`  unexpected value "${received}"`);
+        return continuePolling;
+      }
+
+      // Reached the expected state!
+      return { matches, received };
+    }, options, { strict: true, querySelectorAll, mainWorld, omitAttached: true, logScale: true, ...options }).catch(e => {
       if (js.isJavaScriptErrorInEvaluate(e))
         throw e;
-      return { received: controller.lastIntermediateResult(), pass: !!options.isNot, log: metadata.log };
+      return { received: controller.lastIntermediateResult(), matches: options.isNot, log: metadata.log };
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/injected/injectedScript.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/injected/injectedScript.ts
index 74c24ffdc8..672a8be9dd 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/injected/injectedScript.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/injected/injectedScript.ts
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
     return error;
   }
 
-  expect(progress: InjectedScriptProgress, element: Element, options: FrameExpectParams, elements: Element[], continuePolling: any): { pass: boolean, received?: any } {
+  expect(progress: InjectedScriptProgress, element: Element, options: FrameExpectParams, elements: Element[]): { matches: boolean, received?: any } {
     const injected = progress.injectedScript;
     const expression = options.expression;
 
@@ -808,12 +808,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
           throw injected.createStacklessError('Element is not a checkbox');
         if (elementState === 'error:notconnected')
           throw injected.createStacklessError('Element is not connected');
-        if (elementState === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(elementState);
-          progress.log(`  unexpected value "${elementState}"`);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
-        return { pass: !options.isNot };
+        return { received: elementState, matches: elementState };
       }
     }
 
@@ -822,12 +817,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
       if (expression === 'to.have.count') {
         const received = elements.length;
         const matches = received === options.expectedNumber;
-        if (matches === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
-          progress.log(`  unexpected value "${received}"`);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
-        return { pass: !options.isNot, received };
+        return { received, matches };
       }
     }
 
@@ -836,12 +826,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
       if (expression === 'to.have.property') {
         const received = (element as any)[options.expressionArg];
         const matches = deepEquals(received, options.expectedValue);
-        if (matches === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
-          progress.log(`  unexpected value "${received}"`);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
-        return { received, pass: !options.isNot };
+        return { received, matches };
       }
     }
 
@@ -870,12 +855,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
 
       if (received !== undefined && options.expectedText) {
         const matcher = new ExpectedTextMatcher(options.expectedText[0]);
-        if (matcher.matches(received) === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
-          progress.log(`  unexpected value "${received}"`);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
-        return { received, pass: !options.isNot };
+        return { received, matches: matcher.matches(received) };
       }
     }
 
@@ -891,12 +871,8 @@ export class InjectedScript {
         // "To match an array" is "to contain an array" + "equal length"
         const lengthShouldMatch = expression !== 'to.contain.text.array';
         const matchesLength = received.length === options.expectedText.length || !lengthShouldMatch;
-        if (matchesLength === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
         if (!matchesLength)
-          return { received, pass: !options.isNot };
+          return { received, matches: false };
 
         // Each matcher should get a "received" that matches it, in order.
         let i = 0;
@@ -910,11 +886,7 @@ export class InjectedScript {
             break;
           }
         }
-        if (allMatchesFound === options.isNot) {
-          progress.setIntermediateResult(received);
-          return continuePolling;
-        }
-        return { received, pass: !options.isNot };
+        return { received, matches: allMatchesFound };
       }
     }
     throw this.createStacklessError('Unknown expect matcher: ' + options.expression);
diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/matchers.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/matchers.ts
index af9be234c2..e86682e152 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/matchers.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/matchers.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { toEqual } from './toEqual';
 import { toExpectedTextValues, toMatchText } from './toMatchText';
 
 interface LocatorEx extends Locator {
-  _expect(expression: string, options: FrameExpectOptions): Promise<{ pass: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }>;
+  _expect(expression: string, options: FrameExpectOptions): Promise<{ matches: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }>;
 }
 
 export function toBeChecked(
diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toBeTruthy.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toBeTruthy.ts
index 18ffee4bd8..226cb284e1 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toBeTruthy.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toBeTruthy.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export async function toBeTruthy(
   matcherName: string,
   receiver: any,
   receiverType: string,
-  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ pass: boolean, log?: string[] }>,
+  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ matches: boolean, log?: string[] }>,
   options: { timeout?: number } = {},
 ) {
   const testInfo = currentTestInfo();
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ export async function toBeTruthy(
     defaultExpectTimeout = 5000;
   const timeout = options.timeout === 0 ? 0 : options.timeout || defaultExpectTimeout;
 
-  const { pass, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
+  const { matches, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
 
   const message = () => {
     return this.utils.matcherHint(matcherName, undefined, '', matcherOptions) + callLogText(log);
   };
 
-  return { message, pass };
+  return { message, pass: matches };
 }
diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toEqual.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
index 34a5c0f417..9c12242c08 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toEqual.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export async function toEqual<T>(
   matcherName: string,
   receiver: any,
   receiverType: string,
-  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ pass: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }>,
+  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ matches: boolean, received?: any, log?: string[] }>,
   expected: T,
   options: { timeout?: number, contains?: boolean } = {},
 ) {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export async function toEqual<T>(
     defaultExpectTimeout = 5000;
   const timeout = options.timeout === 0 ? 0 : options.timeout || defaultExpectTimeout;
 
-  const { pass, received, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
+  const { matches: pass, received, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
 
   const message = pass
     ? () =>
diff --git a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toMatchText.ts b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toMatchText.ts
index 77d615185e..e45faddcac 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toMatchText.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-test/src/matchers/toMatchText.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export async function toMatchText(
   matcherName: string,
   receiver: any,
   receiverType: string,
-  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ pass: boolean, received?: string, log?: string[] }>,
+  query: (isNot: boolean, timeout: number) => Promise<{ matches: boolean, received?: string, log?: string[] }>,
   expected: string | RegExp,
   options: { timeout?: number, matchSubstring?: boolean } = {},
 ) {
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export async function toMatchText(
     defaultExpectTimeout = 5000;
   const timeout = options.timeout === 0 ? 0 : options.timeout || defaultExpectTimeout;
 
-  const { pass, received, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
+  const { matches: pass, received, log } = await query(this.isNot, timeout);
   const stringSubstring = options.matchSubstring ? 'substring' : 'string';
   const receivedString = received || '';
   const message = pass
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.text.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.text.spec.ts
index ab1ad11c76..b4d1a88272 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.text.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/playwright.expect.text.spec.ts
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@ test('should support toHaveText w/ array', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
         await expect(locator).not.toHaveText(['Test']);
       });
 
+      test('fail on not+empty', async ({ page }) => {
+        await page.setContent('<div></div>');
+        const locator = page.locator('p');
+        await expect(locator).not.toHaveText([], { timeout: 1000 });
+      });
+
       test('pass eventually empty', async ({ page }) => {
         await page.setContent('<div id=div><p>Text</p></div>');
         const locator = page.locator('p');
@@ -207,7 +213,7 @@ test('should support toHaveText w/ array', async ({ runInlineTest }) => {
   expect(output).toContain('waiting for selector "div"');
   expect(output).toContain('selector resolved to 2 elements');
   expect(result.passed).toBe(6);
-  expect(result.failed).toBe(1);
+  expect(result.failed).toBe(2);
   expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
 });