diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/env.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/env.rs
index be5560adca8..d7409f6b112 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/env.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/env.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ pub fn expand_env(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[ast::TokenTree])
 
     let (var, _var_str_style) = expr_to_str(cx, exprs[0], "expected string literal");
     let msg = match exprs.len() {
-        1 => format!("Environment variable {} not defined", var).to_managed(),
+        1 => format!("environment variable `{}` not defined", var).to_managed(),
         2 => {
             let (s, _style) = expr_to_str(cx, exprs[1], "expected string literal");
             s
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_parser.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_parser.rs
index 22074a73a8b..514b8e6af99 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_parser.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/tt/macro_parser.rs
@@ -351,9 +351,9 @@ pub fn parse(sess: @ParseSess,
                 }
                 return Success(nameize(sess, ms, v));
             } else if eof_eis.len() > 1u {
-                return Error(sp, ~"Ambiguity: multiple successful parses");
+                return Error(sp, ~"ambiguity: multiple successful parses");
             } else {
-                return Failure(sp, ~"Unexpected end of macro invocation");
+                return Failure(sp, ~"unexpected end of macro invocation");
             }
         } else {
             if (bb_eis.len() > 0u && next_eis.len() > 0u)
@@ -367,12 +367,12 @@ pub fn parse(sess: @ParseSess,
                       _ => fail!()
                     } }).connect(" or ");
                 return Error(sp, format!(
-                    "Local ambiguity: multiple parsing options: \
+                    "local ambiguity: multiple parsing options: \
                      built-in NTs {} or {} other options.",
                     nts, next_eis.len()));
             } else if (bb_eis.len() == 0u && next_eis.len() == 0u) {
-                return Failure(sp, ~"No rules expected the token: "
-                            + to_str(get_ident_interner(), &tok));
+                return Failure(sp, format!("no rules expected the token `{}`",
+                            to_str(get_ident_interner(), &tok)));
             } else if (next_eis.len() > 0u) {
                 /* Now process the next token */
                 while(next_eis.len() > 0u) {
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/extenv-not-defined-default.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/extenv-not-defined-default.rs
index d7a543c045a..24e447eec6d 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/extenv-not-defined-default.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/extenv-not-defined-default.rs
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-fn main() { env!("__HOPEFULLY_NOT_DEFINED__"); } //~ ERROR: Environment variable __HOPEFULLY_NOT_DEFINED__ not defined
+fn main() { env!("__HOPEFULLY_NOT_DEFINED__"); } //~ ERROR: environment variable `__HOPEFULLY_NOT_DEFINED__` not defined