diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index 7260fce31d..adbcc68081 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ static int objectsize_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *a
 		else
 			oi.info.disk_sizep = &oi.disk_size;
 	} else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(objectsize) argument: %s"), arg);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "objectsize", arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ static int subject_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom
 	else if (!strcmp(arg, "sanitize"))
 		atom->u.contents.option = C_SUB_SANITIZE;
 	else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(subject) argument: %s"), arg);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "subject", arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ static int contents_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *ato
 		if (strtoul_ui(arg, 10, &atom->u.contents.nlines))
 			return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("positive value expected contents:lines=%s"), arg);
 	} else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(contents) argument: %s"), arg);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "contents", arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static int raw_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom,
 	else if (!strcmp(arg, "size"))
 		atom->u.raw_data.option = RAW_LENGTH;
 	else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(raw) argument: %s"), arg);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "raw", arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ static int oid_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom,
 		if (atom->u.oid.length < MINIMUM_ABBREV)
 			atom->u.oid.length = MINIMUM_ABBREV;
 	} else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized argument '%s' in %%(%s)"), arg, atom->name);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), atom->name, arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ static int align_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom,
 		else if ((position = parse_align_position(s)) >= 0)
 			align->position = position;
 		else {
-			strbuf_addf(err, _("unrecognized %%(align) argument: %s"), s);
+			strbuf_addf(err, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "align", s);
 			string_list_clear(&params, 0);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ static int if_atom_parser(struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom,
 	} else if (skip_prefix(arg, "notequals=", &atom->u.if_then_else.str)) {
 		atom->u.if_then_else.cmp_status = COMPARE_UNEQUAL;
 	} else
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(if) argument: %s"), arg);
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(%s) argument: %s"), "if", arg);
 	return 0;
 }