diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/check/_match.rs b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/check/_match.rs
index 8117e816493..d33afd8fd03 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/typeck/check/_match.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/typeck/check/_match.rs
@@ -687,8 +687,8 @@ pub fn check_pointer_pat(pcx: &pat_ctxt,
                              e, actual)})},
                 Some(expected),
                 format!("{} pattern", match pointer_kind {
-                    Send => "a ~-box",
-                    Borrowed => "an &-pointer"
+                    Send => "a `~`-box",
+                    Borrowed => "an `&`-pointer"
                 }),
                 None);
             fcx.write_error(pat_id);
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4972.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4972.rs
index fcd15a21219..8d281a0b174 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4972.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4972.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub enum TraitWrapper {
 
 fn get_tw_map<'lt>(tw: &'lt TraitWrapper) -> &'lt MyTrait {
     match *tw {
-        A(~ref map) => map, //~ ERROR found a ~-box pattern
+        A(~ref map) => map, //~ ERROR found a `~`-box pattern
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-5100.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-5100.rs
index ae523e1a9c4..b7c440d30b3 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-5100.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-5100.rs
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ fn main() {
 
     match (true, false) {
         ~(true, false) => ()
-        //~^ ERROR mismatched types: expected `(bool,bool)` but found a ~-box pattern
+        //~^ ERROR mismatched types: expected `(bool,bool)` but found a `~`-box pattern
     }
 
     match (true, false) {
         &(true, false) => ()
-        //~^ ERROR mismatched types: expected `(bool,bool)` but found an &-pointer pattern
+        //~^ ERROR mismatched types: expected `(bool,bool)` but found an `&`-pointer pattern
     }