diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index d7a876cca3..b67593288c 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -744,12 +744,12 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		else if (argc == 2)
 			copy_or_rename_branch(argv[0], argv[1], 0, rename > 1);
 		else
-			die(_("too many branches for a rename operation"));
+			die(_("too many arguments for a rename operation"));
 	} else if (new_upstream) {
 		struct branch *branch = branch_get(argv[0]);
 
 		if (argc > 1)
-			die(_("too many branches to set new upstream"));
+			die(_("too many arguments to set new upstream"));
 
 		if (!branch) {
 			if (!argc || !strcmp(argv[0], "HEAD"))
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 		if (argc > 1)
-			die(_("too many branches to unset upstream"));
+			die(_("too many arguments to unset upstream"));
 
 		if (!branch) {
 			if (!argc || !strcmp(argv[0], "HEAD"))