diff --git a/go/pkg/api/path.go b/go/pkg/api/path.go
index b8058b64..a5c0d412 100644
--- a/go/pkg/api/path.go
+++ b/go/pkg/api/path.go
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func (s *state) getToplevel(name string, c change) (ast.Toplevel, error) {
 	m, ok := c.val.(map[string]interface{})
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-			"Expecting JSON object when reading '%s' but got: %T", name, c.val)
+			"Expecting JSON object in attribute 'value' but got: %T", c.val)
 	}
 	var t ast.Toplevel
 	var err error
diff --git a/go/testdata/api/group.t b/go/testdata/api/group.t
index 14e53d07..62a1ee27 100644
--- a/go/testdata/api/group.t
+++ b/go/testdata/api/group.t
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
     }
 }
 =ERROR=
-Error: Expecting JSON object when reading 'group:g1' but got: []interface {}
+Error: Expecting JSON object in attribute 'value' but got: []interface {}
 =END=
 
 ############################################################
diff --git a/go/testdata/api/path.t b/go/testdata/api/path.t
index 1d73763d..1a03a359 100644
--- a/go/testdata/api/path.t
+++ b/go/testdata/api/path.t
@@ -12,6 +12,39 @@ network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
 Error: Invalid empty path
 =END=
 
+############################################################
+=TITLE=Invalid path
+=INPUT=
+network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
+=JOB=
+{
+    "method": "add",
+    "params": { "path": "invalid" }
+}
+=ERROR=
+Error: Expecting JSON object in attribute 'value' but got: <nil>
+=END=
+
+############################################################
+=TITLE=Invalid global definition
+=INPUT=
+network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
+=JOB=
+{
+    "method": "add",
+    "params": { "path": "in:valid", "value": {} }
+}
+=ERROR=
+Error: Unknown global definition at line 3 of INPUT, near "--HERE-->in:valid"
+Aborted
+=OUTPUT=
+@@ INPUT
+ network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
++
++in:valid = {
++}
+=END=
+
 ############################################################
 =TITLE=Invalid value
 =INPUT=
@@ -38,7 +71,7 @@ network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
     }
 }
 =ERROR=
-Error: Expecting JSON object when reading 'network:n2' but got: []interface {}
+Error: Expecting JSON object in attribute 'value' but got: []interface {}
 =END=
 
 ############################################################
diff --git a/go/testdata/api/service.t b/go/testdata/api/service.t
index 4c200fa6..7fded411 100644
--- a/go/testdata/api/service.t
+++ b/go/testdata/api/service.t
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ network:n1 = { ip = 10.1.1.0/24; }
     }
 }
 =ERROR=
-Error: Expecting JSON object when reading 'service:s1' but got: string
+Error: Expecting JSON object in attribute 'value' but got: string
 =END=
 
 ############################################################