diff --git a/src/_pytest/hookspec.py b/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
index a465923f9..afcee5397 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/hookspec.py
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ def pytest_report_serialize(config, report):
         In the future it might become part of the public hook API.
 
     Serializes the given report object into a data structure suitable for sending
-    over the wire, or converted to JSON.
+    over the wire, e.g. converted to JSON.
     """
 
 
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ def pytest_report_unserialize(config, data):
 
         In the future it might become part of the public hook API.
 
-    Restores a report object previously serialized with pytest_report_serialize().;
+    Restores a report object previously serialized with pytest_report_serialize().
     """
 
 
diff --git a/src/_pytest/reports.py b/src/_pytest/reports.py
index 04cc52691..74faa3f8c 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/reports.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/reports.py
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ def _report_unserialization_failure(type_name, report_class, reportdict):
     pprint(reportdict, stream=stream)
     pprint("Please report this bug at %s" % url, stream=stream)
     pprint("-" * 100, stream=stream)
-    assert 0, stream.getvalue()
+    raise RuntimeError(stream.getvalue())
 
 
 class TestReport(BaseReport):