diff --git a/docs/http/http-metrics.md b/docs/http/http-metrics.md
index 07c065f2ab..c41cf7c61a 100644
--- a/docs/http/http-metrics.md
+++ b/docs/http/http-metrics.md
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ SHOULD include the [application root](/docs/http/http-spans.md#http-server-defin
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ SHOULD include the [application root](/docs/http/http-spans.md#http-server-defin
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ SHOULD include the [application root](/docs/http/http-spans.md#http-server-defin
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ of `[ 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5,
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ This metric is optional.
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ This metric is optional.
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
diff --git a/docs/http/http-spans.md b/docs/http/http-spans.md
index 861cc74fab..914a859f0c 100644
--- a/docs/http/http-spans.md
+++ b/docs/http/http-spans.md
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ sections below.
 `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
 If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-`error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+`error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
 The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
 Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
diff --git a/model/http-common.yaml b/model/http-common.yaml
index b6643676db..7d062bd584 100644
--- a/model/http-common.yaml
+++ b/model/http-common.yaml
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ groups:
           `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
           If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
           The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
           Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
diff --git a/model/metrics/http.yaml b/model/metrics/http.yaml
index f6354aa7d5..c0e241b9c7 100644
--- a/model/metrics/http.yaml
+++ b/model/metrics/http.yaml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ groups:
           `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
           If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
           The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
           Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ groups:
           `error.type` SHOULD be set to exception type or a component-specific low cardinality error code.
 
           If response status code was sent or received and status indicates an error according to [HTTP span status definition](/docs/http/http-spans.md),
-          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the string representation of the status code, an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
+          `error.type` SHOULD be set to the status code number (represented as a string), an exception type (if thrown) or a component-specific error code.
 
           The `error.type` value SHOULD be predictable and SHOULD have low cardinality.
           Instrumentations SHOULD document the list of errors they report.