diff --git a/core/modules/file/tests/src/Functional/DownloadTest.php b/core/modules/file/tests/src/Functional/DownloadTest.php
index 79c17a37c6..704c9db190 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/tests/src/Functional/DownloadTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/tests/src/Functional/DownloadTest.php
@@ -75,26 +75,17 @@ protected function doPrivateFileTransferTest() {
     // Test that the file transferred correctly.
     $this->assertSame($contents, $this->getSession()->getPage()->getContent(), 'Contents of the file are correct.');
 
+    $http_client = $this->getSession()->getDriver()->getClient()->getClient();
+
     // Deny access to all downloads via a -1 header.
     file_test_set_return('download', -1);
-    $http_client = \Drupal::httpClient();
-    try {
-      $http_client->head($url);
-      $this->fail('Not correctly denied access to a file when file_test sets the header to -1.');
-    }
-    catch (RequestException $e) {
-      $this->assertSame(403, $e->getCode());
-    }
+    $response = $http_client->head($url, ['http_errors' => FALSE]);
+    $this->assertSame(403, $response->getStatusCode(), 'Correctly denied access to a file when file_test sets the header to -1.');
 
     // Try non-existent file.
     $url = file_create_url('private://' . $this->randomMachineName());
-    try {
-      $http_client->head($url);
-      $this->fail('Not correctly returned 404 response for a non-existent file.');
-    }
-    catch (RequestException $e) {
-      $this->assertSame(404, $e->getCode());
-    }
+    $response = $http_client->head($url, ['http_errors' => FALSE]);
+    $this->assertSame(404, $response->getStatusCode(), 'Correctly returned 404 response for a non-existent file.');
   }
 
   /**