diff --git a/tremor-cli/src/test/assert.rs b/tremor-cli/src/test/assert.rs
index c15acefe45..103ed0be29 100644
--- a/tremor-cli/src/test/assert.rs
+++ b/tremor-cli/src/test/assert.rs
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ pub(crate) struct FileBasedAssert {
     pub(crate) contains: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub(crate) doesnt_contain: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub(crate) equals_file: Option<String>,
+    pub(crate) is_empty: Option<bool>,
+    pub(crate) is_not_empty: Option<bool>,
 }
 
 pub(crate) type Asserts = Vec<FileBasedAssert>;
@@ -329,6 +331,7 @@ fn process_equals_file(
     })
 }
 
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_lines)]
 pub(crate) fn process_filebased_asserts(
     prefix: &str,
     stdout_path: &Path,
@@ -345,6 +348,8 @@ pub(crate) fn process_filebased_asserts(
                 contains: None,
                 doesnt_contain: None,
                 equals_file: None,
+                is_empty: None,
+                is_not_empty: None,
                 ..
             } => {
                 stats.skip();
@@ -355,6 +360,8 @@ pub(crate) fn process_filebased_asserts(
                 contains,
                 doesnt_contain,
                 equals_file,
+                is_empty,
+                is_not_empty,
                 ..
             } => {
                 let file = match source {
@@ -394,9 +401,79 @@ pub(crate) fn process_filebased_asserts(
                         &mut counter,
                     )?);
                 }
+
+                if let Some(is_empty) = is_empty {
+                    stats.assert();
+                    counter += 1;
+                    let condition = (std::fs::metadata(&file)?.len() == 0) == *is_empty;
+                    stats.report(condition, &file);
+                    status::assert_has(
+                        prefix,
+                        &format!("Assert {counter}"),
+                        &format!("  File `{}` is empty", &file),
+                        None,
+                        condition,
+                    )?;
+                    elements.push(report::TestElement {
+                        description: format!("File `{file}` is empty"),
+                        info: None,
+                        hidden: false,
+                        keyword: report::KeywordKind::Predicate,
+                        result: report::ResultKind {
+                            status: if condition {
+                                report::StatusKind::Passed
+                            } else {
+                                report::StatusKind::Failed
+                            },
+                            duration: 0,
+                        },
+                    });
+                }
+
+                if let Some(is_not_empty) = is_not_empty {
+                    stats.assert();
+                    counter += 1;
+                    let condition = (std::fs::metadata(&file)?.len() != 0) == *is_not_empty;
+                    stats.report(condition, &file);
+                    status::assert_has(
+                        prefix,
+                        &format!("Assert {counter}"),
+                        &format!("  File `{}` is not empty", &file),
+                        None,
+                        condition,
+                    )?;
+                    elements.push(report::TestElement {
+                        description: format!("File `{file}` is not empty"),
+                        info: None,
+                        hidden: false,
+                        keyword: report::KeywordKind::Predicate,
+                        result: report::ResultKind {
+                            status: if condition {
+                                report::StatusKind::Passed
+                            } else {
+                                report::StatusKind::Failed
+                            },
+                            duration: 0,
+                        },
+                    });
+                }
             }
         }
     }
 
     Ok((stats, elements))
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_contains() -> Result<()> {
+        let file = "src/test/assert/contains.txt";
+        let contains = vec!["snot".to_string(), "badger".to_string()];
+        let result = file_contains(file, &contains, None)?;
+        assert!(result);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tremor-cli/src/test/assert/contains.txt b/tremor-cli/src/test/assert/contains.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..308c583160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tremor-cli/src/test/assert/contains.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+snot
+badger
diff --git a/tremor-cli/tests/cli/command.yml b/tremor-cli/tests/cli/command.yml
index eb25851675..1b06ef98c1 100644
--- a/tremor-cli/tests/cli/command.yml
+++ b/tremor-cli/tests/cli/command.yml
@@ -199,6 +199,17 @@ suites:
               - "Error:"
               - "3 |   emit event.baz"
               - "  |              ^^^ Trying to access a non existing event key `baz`\n\n"
+      - name: setup for tremor new creates 
+        command: rm -rf test
+        tags:
+          - run
+          - new
+        status: 0
+        expects:
+          - source: stdout
+            is_empty: true
+          - source: stderr
+            is_empty: true
       - name: tremor new creates 
         command: tremor new test
         tags:
diff --git a/tremor-cli/tests/integration/elastic-verify-gd/assert.yaml b/tremor-cli/tests/integration/elastic-verify-gd/assert.yaml
index 2b3d8290e4..f3415942f1 100644
--- a/tremor-cli/tests/integration/elastic-verify-gd/assert.yaml
+++ b/tremor-cli/tests/integration/elastic-verify-gd/assert.yaml
@@ -2,10 +2,58 @@ status: 0
 name: elastic-verify-gd
 asserts:
   - source: err.log
-    equals_file: expected_err.json
+    contains: 
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"tons","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"cause":"this one has a different type underneath the same key and thus will fail elastic","snot":"tons","tremor":12},"success":false}
+  - source: err.log
+    contains: 
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"baz","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"cause":"this one has a different type underneath the same key and thus will fail elastic","snot":"baz","tremor":12},"success":false}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"badger","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"snot":"badger"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"foo","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"snot":"foo"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"racoon","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"snot":"racoon","tremor":[true,true,true,false]},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"bar","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"snot":"bar","tremor":[true,true,true,false]},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"delete","correlation":"badger","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"delete","doc_id":"badger","snot":"badger"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"delete","correlation":"fop","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"delete","doc_id":"badger","snot":"fop"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"badger","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"index","doc_id":"badger","snot":"badger"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"snoop","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"index","doc_id":"badger","snot":"snoop"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"update","correlation":"badger","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"update","doc_id":"badger","snot":"badger"},"success":true}
   - source: ok.log
-    equals_file: expected_ok.json
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"update","correlation":"dogg","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":"update","doc_id":"badger","snot":"dogg"},"success":true}
+  - source: ok.log
+    contains:  
+      - |
+        {"action":"index","correlation":"badger","index":"my_little_index","payload":{"action":null,"snot":"badger"},"success":true}
   - source: fg.err.log
     contains:
       - |
-        All required CB events received.
\ No newline at end of file
+        All required CB events received.