diff --git a/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c b/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
index 688340610e..7752c5fda5 100644
--- a/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
+++ b/hw/core/qdev-properties-system.c
@@ -769,8 +769,9 @@ static void set_pci_devfn(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
             return;
         }
         if (value < -1 || value > 255) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                       name ? name : "null", "a value between -1 and 255");
+            error_setg(errp,
+                       "Parameter '%s' expects a value between -1 and 255",
+                       name ? name : "null");
             return;
         }
         *ptr = value;
diff --git a/qapi/opts-visitor.c b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
index 3d1a28b419..0393704a73 100644
--- a/qapi/opts-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
@@ -515,8 +515,7 @@ opts_type_size(Visitor *v, const char *name, uint64_t *obj, Error **errp)
 
     err = qemu_strtosz(opt->str ? opt->str : "", NULL, obj);
     if (err < 0) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
-                   "a size value");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects a size value", opt->name);
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/qapi/qapi-util.c b/qapi/qapi-util.c
index 63596e11c5..82c3425566 100644
--- a/qapi/qapi-util.c
+++ b/qapi/qapi-util.c
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ bool qapi_bool_parse(const char *name, const char *value, bool *obj, Error **err
         return true;
     }
 
-    error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name,
-               "'on' or 'off'");
+    error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects 'on' or 'off'", name);
     return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/qapi/qobject-input-visitor.c b/qapi/qobject-input-visitor.c
index f110a804b2..f5fa6c1878 100644
--- a/qapi/qobject-input-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/qobject-input-visitor.c
@@ -424,8 +424,8 @@ static bool qobject_input_type_int64_keyval(Visitor *v, const char *name,
 
     if (qemu_strtoi64(str, NULL, 0, obj) < 0) {
         /* TODO report -ERANGE more nicely */
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                   full_name(qiv, name), "integer");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects integer",
+                   full_name(qiv, name));
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -458,8 +458,7 @@ static bool qobject_input_type_uint64(Visitor *v, const char *name,
     }
 
 err:
-    error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-               full_name(qiv, name), "uint64");
+    error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects uint64", full_name(qiv, name));
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -475,8 +474,8 @@ static bool qobject_input_type_uint64_keyval(Visitor *v, const char *name,
 
     if (qemu_strtou64(str, NULL, 0, obj) < 0) {
         /* TODO report -ERANGE more nicely */
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                   full_name(qiv, name), "integer");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects integer",
+                   full_name(qiv, name));
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -514,8 +513,8 @@ static bool qobject_input_type_bool_keyval(Visitor *v, const char *name,
     }
 
     if (!qapi_bool_parse(name, str, obj, NULL)) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                   full_name(qiv, name), "'on' or 'off'");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects 'on' or 'off'",
+                   full_name(qiv, name));
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -643,8 +642,7 @@ static bool qobject_input_type_size_keyval(Visitor *v, const char *name,
 
     if (qemu_strtosz(str, NULL, obj) < 0) {
         /* TODO report -ERANGE more nicely */
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                   full_name(qiv, name), "size");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects size", full_name(qiv, name));
         return false;
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/qapi/string-input-visitor.c b/qapi/string-input-visitor.c
index 3f1b9e9b41..6ea6a0c676 100644
--- a/qapi/string-input-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/string-input-visitor.c
@@ -189,16 +189,17 @@ static bool parse_type_int64(Visitor *v, const char *name, int64_t *obj,
     case LM_NONE:
         /* just parse a simple int64, bail out if not completely consumed */
         if (qemu_strtoi64(siv->string, NULL, 0, &val)) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE,
-                       name ? name : "null", "int64");
+            error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects int64",
+                       name ? name : "null");
             return false;
         }
         *obj = val;
         return true;
     case LM_UNPARSED:
         if (try_parse_int64_list_entry(siv, obj)) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name ? name : "null",
-                       "list of int64 values or ranges");
+            error_setg(errp,
+                       "Parameter '%s' expects list of int64 values or ranges",
+                       name ? name : "null");
             return false;
         }
         assert(siv->lm == LM_INT64_RANGE);
@@ -279,16 +280,17 @@ static bool parse_type_uint64(Visitor *v, const char *name, uint64_t *obj,
     case LM_NONE:
         /* just parse a simple uint64, bail out if not completely consumed */
         if (qemu_strtou64(siv->string, NULL, 0, &val)) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name ? name : "null",
-                       "uint64");
+            error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects uint64",
+                       name ? name : "null");
             return false;
         }
         *obj = val;
         return true;
     case LM_UNPARSED:
         if (try_parse_uint64_list_entry(siv, obj)) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name ? name : "null",
-                       "list of uint64 values or ranges");
+            error_setg(errp,
+                       "Parameter '%s' expects list of uint64 values or ranges",
+                       name ? name : "null");
             return false;
         }
         assert(siv->lm == LM_UINT64_RANGE);
diff --git a/util/qemu-option.c b/util/qemu-option.c
index 62dd80a5ae..9440224e5b 100644
--- a/util/qemu-option.c
+++ b/util/qemu-option.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static bool parse_option_number(const char *name, const char *value,
         return false;
     }
     if (err) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name, "a number");
+        error_setg(errp, "Parameter '%s' expects a number", name);
         return false;
     }
     *ret = number;
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@ bool parse_option_size(const char *name, const char *value,
         return false;
     }
     if (err) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, name,
-                   "a non-negative number below 2^64");
+        error_setg(errp,
+                   "Parameter '%s' expects a non-negative number below 2^64",
+                   name);
         error_append_hint(errp, "Optional suffix k, M, G, T, P or E means"
                           " kilo-, mega-, giga-, tera-, peta-\n"
                           "and exabytes, respectively.\n");
