diff --git a/compliance_checker/tests/helpers.py b/compliance_checker/tests/helpers.py
index a07c1aa3..40a9ea87 100644
--- a/compliance_checker/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/compliance_checker/tests/helpers.py
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ def __init__(self, filename=None):
             persist=False,
         )
 
+    # suppress usual dealloc routine to prevent caught exception messages
+    # from printing
+    def __dealloc__(self):
+        pass
 
 class MockTimeSeries(MockNetCDF):
     """