diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 25d1b05f4c6946d5aa8fbb009a09ae1daa5b4e74..a3230e9f7dffef5542863b37835384ef6d951ba4 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -157,12 +157,6 @@ assert.sameValue(actual, expected, message) | throw a new Test262Error instance
 assert.notSameValue(actual, unexpected, message) | throw a new Test262Error instance if the first two arguments are [the same value](http://www.ecma-international.org/ecma-262/6.0/#sec-samevalue); accepts an optional string message for use in creating the error
 assert.throws(expectedErrorConstructor, fn) | throw a new Test262Error instance if the provided function does not throw an error, or if the constructor of the value thrown does not match the provided constructor
 
-The test harness also defines the following objects:
-
-Identifier | Purpose
------------|--------
-NotEarlyError | preconstructed error object used for testing syntax and other early errors; see Syntax Error & Early Error, below
-
 ```
 /// error class
 function Test262Error(message) {
@@ -178,8 +172,6 @@ function $ERROR(message) {
 function $DONE(arg) {
 //[omitted body]
 }
-
-var NotEarlyError = new Error(...);
 ```
 
 ## Handling Errors and Negative Test Cases
@@ -193,9 +185,6 @@ negative:
   type: SyntaxError
 ---*/
 
-// This `throw` statement guarantees that no code is executed in order to
-// trigger the SyntaxError.
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var var = var;
 ```
 
diff --git a/harness/sta.js b/harness/sta.js
index 5a95afb1841e54ab0a099030a8194a39a0396ab0..10a6bb3fabefc0a5c8503248c211f8ae3d45fe4c 100644
--- a/harness/sta.js
+++ b/harness/sta.js
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 /// Copyright (c) 2012 Ecma International.  All rights reserved. 
 /// This code is governed by the BSD license found in the LICENSE file.
 
-var NotEarlyErrorString = "NotEarlyError";
-var EarlyErrorRePat = "^((?!" + NotEarlyErrorString + ").)*$";
-var NotEarlyError = new Error(NotEarlyErrorString);
-
 function Test262Error(message) {
     this.message = message || "";
 }
diff --git a/test/language/arguments-object/10.5-1gs.js b/test/language/arguments-object/10.5-1gs.js
index 5896b189f38cc7c004cd02071078ece9a05fec65..0c148e5550b8d4a963b1b346796da32305c1cace 100644
--- a/test/language/arguments-object/10.5-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/arguments-object/10.5-1gs.js
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 
 function f_10_5_1_gs(){
     arguments = 7;
diff --git a/test/language/directive-prologue/10.1.1-8gs.js b/test/language/directive-prologue/10.1.1-8gs.js
index c83cd56fa354e8ae9125e366e2c3bdf76bfd8d77..9a298adf020a22c4766b894105cd2f5afe539054 100644
--- a/test/language/directive-prologue/10.1.1-8gs.js
+++ b/test/language/directive-prologue/10.1.1-8gs.js
@@ -14,5 +14,4 @@ flags: [raw]
 
 "use strict";
 "use strict";
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var public = 1;
diff --git a/test/language/expressions/delete/11.4.1-5-a-5gs.js b/test/language/expressions/delete/11.4.1-5-a-5gs.js
index aeb1deefd50ca48ad139daf34d146952b9bd7566..47c379e4800abe1fc00ba0e1b026cf54b35444d5 100644
--- a/test/language/expressions/delete/11.4.1-5-a-5gs.js
+++ b/test/language/expressions/delete/11.4.1-5-a-5gs.js
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
 var _11_4_1_5 = 7;
-throw NotEarlyError;
 delete _11_4_1_5;
diff --git a/test/language/expressions/object/11.1.5-1gs.js b/test/language/expressions/object/11.1.5-1gs.js
index 2db6251257cf432354c2a22a8de8f71f8bd8ec16..3ce097d926836b8ff81fb53877c69a098e5fce9d 100644
--- a/test/language/expressions/object/11.1.5-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/expressions/object/11.1.5-1gs.js
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var obj = { set _11_1_5_1_fun(eval) {}};
diff --git a/test/language/expressions/postfix-increment/11.3.1-2-1gs.js b/test/language/expressions/postfix-increment/11.3.1-2-1gs.js
index 35d1ea627d8547de53bb8504aca89e4c0555c1f7..bbe5b5523b9bc2643537befc602e5ebe7922b2a9 100644
--- a/test/language/expressions/postfix-increment/11.3.1-2-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/expressions/postfix-increment/11.3.1-2-1gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 arguments++;
diff --git a/test/language/expressions/prefix-decrement/11.4.5-2-2gs.js b/test/language/expressions/prefix-decrement/11.4.5-2-2gs.js
index 6c22e85fc2e42d316152ddd6c59f28ba812e1a14..a1e105b55c4fb99a35ff140c4220365fcfc3df8a 100644
--- a/test/language/expressions/prefix-decrement/11.4.5-2-2gs.js
+++ b/test/language/expressions/prefix-decrement/11.4.5-2-2gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 --arguments;
diff --git a/test/language/expressions/this/11.1.1-1gs.js b/test/language/expressions/this/11.1.1-1gs.js
index 63ad2319ef6af99a1c4f50b11c17c29e6727bf92..569fc6139ab9c29d86f63ac19e73fc69ff9fe370 100644
--- a/test/language/expressions/this/11.1.1-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/expressions/this/11.1.1-1gs.js
@@ -8,6 +8,5 @@ flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
 "use strict";
-if (this===undefined) {
-    throw NotEarlyError;
-}
+
+assert.notSameValue(this, undefined);
diff --git a/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-1gs.js b/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-1gs.js
index 05e7ac6f8a4d9dc44d128a3d794b851faeec51ac..090189eb6b83f78b9efdedbe052bfe311875c25b 100644
--- a/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-1gs.js
@@ -10,5 +10,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var y = 010;
diff --git a/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-2gs.js b/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-2gs.js
index e2f3ad49e4b6014c34721cefb74ee8ed1cb06899..f208ba600825e5ee9e21a0de472415adb6cd177f 100644
--- a/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-2gs.js
+++ b/test/language/literals/numeric/7.8.3-2gs.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var a;
 a = 0x1;
 a = 01;
diff --git a/test/language/literals/regexp/7.8.5-1gs.js b/test/language/literals/regexp/7.8.5-1gs.js
index cfb8b07960812bee476156f1d3df96d1fd1d4834..e057a8556132a5364128b253ae2c3becf9cba698 100644
--- a/test/language/literals/regexp/7.8.5-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/literals/regexp/7.8.5-1gs.js
@@ -9,5 +9,4 @@ negative:
   type: SyntaxError
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var re = //;
diff --git a/test/language/literals/string/7.8.4-1gs.js b/test/language/literals/string/7.8.4-1gs.js
index 929907e3274f1771f95c51e2a239cd1b7c74c8b7..d9801271411c8b636cfc673152a0e89e74323271 100644
--- a/test/language/literals/string/7.8.4-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/literals/string/7.8.4-1gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var _7_8_4_2 = '100abc\0110def';
diff --git a/test/language/reserved-words/7.6.1.2-1gs.js b/test/language/reserved-words/7.6.1.2-1gs.js
index 2642d13c61835fe3419375383b6de9034ad9b13e..27752445ce4678a51165c07310042e9efe6b3dec 100644
--- a/test/language/reserved-words/7.6.1.2-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/reserved-words/7.6.1.2-1gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var implements = 1;
diff --git a/test/language/statements/const/syntax/const-declaring-let-split-across-two-lines.js b/test/language/statements/const/syntax/const-declaring-let-split-across-two-lines.js
index 559c283dfb42c6e432163ccef7faeae25c3ed2be..10fcbf36aa521b74b68eb8782310f6ae9faedfc6 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/const/syntax/const-declaring-let-split-across-two-lines.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/const/syntax/const-declaring-let-split-across-two-lines.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ negative:
   phase: early
   type: SyntaxError
 ---*/
-throw NotEarlyError;
 
 const
 let = "irrelevant initializer";
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.0_4-5gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.0_4-5gs.js
index 74ca27c4b9b3d4c4e24a89e2cb626f51b7e5e704..b96877fe6cc106fa217a35df6e6ea87c18063d77 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.0_4-5gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.0_4-5gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 function _13_0_4_5_fun() { eval = 42; };
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-13gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-13gs.js
index 585803950d3f771822badad51033b63209e993f8..9fcafc1c810196dc7fd6f4d2d4ba0a8a34656b15 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-13gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-13gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 function arguments() { };
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-1gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-1gs.js
index 87e05d48a11cee1a51ee3d5d8c0986e791d3ba3e..021c961c55b3d80756f773ba92fdb1cfe072797a 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-1gs.js
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 function _13_1_1_fun(eval) { }
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-4gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-4gs.js
index 8e97c1e13b72e32f361e21a4d332d523223c6df0..0c4549e74a84c307d1819cc89b65c8c897d253e0 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-4gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-4gs.js
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var _13_1_4_fun = function (arguments) { };
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-5gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-5gs.js
index c274c9503f1dafccf12ff61cb8dba79aeec68ef8..4d75685038356ed7119d3e0f23d06670dfcc0081 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-5gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-5gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 function _13_1_5_fun(param, param) { }
diff --git a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-8gs.js b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-8gs.js
index b7d6a7a45a5cba66dabaf1ecf907e6fe3e6a1252..6d61f0a5b9ec8fab61c4ee894db611dd7b1b2c1d 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/function/13.1-8gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/function/13.1-8gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var _13_1_8_fun = function (param, param) { };
diff --git a/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-split-across-two-lines.js b/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-split-across-two-lines.js
index 541dcef3552666926fec86129571fea1323ef9a1..d8e125be41a1da931bdb693e62f9ee10bfa7278f 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-split-across-two-lines.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-split-across-two-lines.js
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ negative:
   phase: early
   type: SyntaxError
 ---*/
-throw NotEarlyError;
 
 let  // start of a LexicalDeclaration, *not* an ASI opportunity
 let;
diff --git a/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-with-initializer-split-across-two-lines.js b/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-with-initializer-split-across-two-lines.js
index 30b0de237e7ad9c4b3b94707596faaf29d74f1c3..54b819933c3e0bc708c086dcc84ad036d077ee15 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-with-initializer-split-across-two-lines.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/let/syntax/let-let-declaration-with-initializer-split-across-two-lines.js
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ negative:
   phase: early
   type: SyntaxError
 ---*/
-throw NotEarlyError;
 
 let  // start of a LexicalDeclaration, *not* an ASI opportunity
 let = "irrelevant initializer";
diff --git a/test/language/statements/try/12.14.1-1gs.js b/test/language/statements/try/12.14.1-1gs.js
index a575377fd7fded3c18765da0cc125812769c96a5..c706ed07b0a15dd35b97dd21e678fe9389e4bfd1 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/try/12.14.1-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/try/12.14.1-1gs.js
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 try { } catch (eval) { }
diff --git a/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-1gs.js b/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-1gs.js
index b1047b29de7669866d56679253a689ff9481cd25..d4dd0a6bdb79a93ae35eb0a1d2dd05a4deb75a0f 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-1gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-1gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 for (var eval in arrObj) { }
diff --git a/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-4gs.js b/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-4gs.js
index 58a0a7b38d4d38593c467947a61ef7cdc8a48aea..fd7a19977a746ccf83ddd6d18cb6bb2cfbd39a44 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-4gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/variable/12.2.1-4gs.js
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 var arguments;
diff --git a/test/language/statements/with/12.10.1-11gs.js b/test/language/statements/with/12.10.1-11gs.js
index cb2f432d8abd226c73cf02692dc9808ba87517e3..996698c6bc0fb898721beb24135ce5d97ca92a4b 100644
--- a/test/language/statements/with/12.10.1-11gs.js
+++ b/test/language/statements/with/12.10.1-11gs.js
@@ -10,5 +10,4 @@ negative:
 flags: [onlyStrict]
 ---*/
 
-throw NotEarlyError;
 with ({}) { }