diff --git a/kernel/fatal.c b/kernel/fatal.c
index f090139c9e5..167a5f63f5b 100644
--- a/kernel/fatal.c
+++ b/kernel/fatal.c
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ void z_fatal_error(unsigned int reason, const z_arch_esf_t *esf)
 {
 	struct k_thread *thread = k_current_get();
 
+	/* sanitycheck looks for the "ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR" string, don't
+	 * change it without also updating sanitycheck
+	 */
 	z_fatal_print(">>> ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR %d: %s", reason,
 		      reason_to_str(reason));
 
diff --git a/scripts/sanity_chk/harness.py b/scripts/sanity_chk/harness.py
index 26c8f5721d0..3e145903c97 100644
--- a/scripts/sanity_chk/harness.py
+++ b/scripts/sanity_chk/harness.py
@@ -7,14 +7,7 @@ result_re = re.compile("(PASS|FAIL|SKIP) - (test_)?(.*)")
 class Harness:
     GCOV_START = "GCOV_COVERAGE_DUMP_START"
     GCOV_END = "GCOV_COVERAGE_DUMP_END"
-    FAULTS = [
-            "Unknown Fatal Error",
-            "MPU FAULT",
-            "Kernel Panic",
-            "Kernel OOPS",
-            "BUS FAULT",
-            "CPU Page Fault"
-            ]
+    FAULT = "ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR"
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.state = None
@@ -72,9 +65,8 @@ class Console(Harness):
                     self.state = "passed"
 
         if self.fail_on_fault:
-            for fault in self.FAULTS:
-                if fault in line:
-                    self.fault = True
+            if self.FAULT in line:
+                self.fault = True
 
         if self.GCOV_START in line:
             self.capture_coverage = True
@@ -107,9 +99,8 @@ class Test(Harness):
             self.state = "failed"
 
         if self.fail_on_fault:
-            for fault in self.FAULTS:
-                if fault in line:
-                    self.fault = True
+            if self.FAULT in line:
+                self.fault = True
 
         if self.GCOV_START in line:
             self.capture_coverage = True