diff --git a/lib/internal/errors.js b/lib/internal/errors.js
index dd30097c43cd15..dc8f4a13c4137d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/errors.js
+++ b/lib/internal/errors.js
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ E('ERR_V8BREAKITERATOR', 'full ICU data not installed. ' +
 function invalidArgType(name, expected, actual) {
   const assert = lazyAssert();
   assert(name, 'name is required');
-  var msg = `The "${name}" argument must be ${oneOf(expected, 'type')}`;
+  const type = name.includes('.') ? 'property' : 'argument';
+  var msg = `The "${name}" ${type} must be ${oneOf(expected, 'type')}`;
   if (arguments.length >= 3) {
     msg += `. Received type ${actual !== null ? typeof actual : 'null'}`;
   }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js b/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
index 6f647a435827af..5f51f0ac839a8b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
 const invalidUserArgument = common.expectsError({
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "preValue.user" argument must be of type Number'
+  message: 'The "preValue.user" property must be of type Number'
 });
 
 const invalidSystemArgument = common.expectsError({
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "preValue.system" argument must be of type Number'
+  message: 'The "preValue.system" property must be of type Number'
 });
 
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
index 2cfd543ac9d6ba..31b7e6ad3d6b15 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ assert.throws(function() {
 }, common.expectsError({
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "superCtor.prototype" argument must be of type function'
+    message: 'The "superCtor.prototype" property must be of type function'
 })
 );
 assert.throws(function() {