diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index f36944e4..f9af45da 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ bool Buffer::set_name(String name)
 void Buffer::throw_if_read_only() const
 {
     if (m_flags & Flags::ReadOnly)
-        throw runtime_error("Buffer is read-only");
+        throw runtime_error("buffer is read-only");
 }
 
 void Buffer::update_display_name()
diff --git a/src/buffer_manager.cc b/src/buffer_manager.cc
index 66206fe0..4a6e779f 100644
--- a/src/buffer_manager.cc
+++ b/src/buffer_manager.cc
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Buffer* BufferManager::create_buffer(String name, Buffer::Flags flags,
     buffer->on_registered();
 
     if (contains(m_buffer_trash, buffer))
-        throw runtime_error{"Buffer got removed during its creation"};
+        throw runtime_error{"buffer got removed during its creation"};
 
     return buffer;
 }
diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
index cfc44cbc..e4e37f0b 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.cc
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ Client& ClientManager::get_client(StringView name)
 {
     if (Client* client = get_client_ifp(name))
         return *client;
-    throw runtime_error(format("no client named '{}'", name));
+    throw runtime_error(format("no such client: '{}'", name));
 }
 
 void ClientManager::redraw_clients() const
diff --git a/src/color.cc b/src/color.cc
index aef26bfa..a8d04ee6 100644
--- a/src/color.cc
+++ b/src/color.cc
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Color str_to_color(StringView color)
                  (unsigned char)(hval(color[6]) * 16 + hval(color[7])),
                  (unsigned char)(hval(color[8]) * 16 + hval(color[9])) };
 
-    throw runtime_error(format("Unable to parse color '{}'", color));
+    throw runtime_error(format("unable to parse color: '{}'", color));
     return Color::Default;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/command_manager.cc b/src/command_manager.cc
index bc81735f..afa630da 100644
--- a/src/command_manager.cc
+++ b/src/command_manager.cc
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ String expand(StringView str, const Context& context,
 struct command_not_found : runtime_error
 {
     command_not_found(StringView name)
-        : runtime_error(name + " : no such command") {}
+        : runtime_error(format("no such command: '{}'", name)) {}
 };
 
 CommandManager::CommandMap::const_iterator
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 45007c5e..8dcfac1d 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ Scope& get_scope(StringView scope, const Context& context)
 {
     if (auto s = get_scope_ifp(scope, context))
         return *s;
-    throw runtime_error(format("error: no such scope '{}'", scope));
+    throw runtime_error(format("no such scope: '{}'", scope));
 }
 
 struct CommandDesc
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ const CommandDesc add_highlighter_cmd = {
 
         auto it = registry.find(name);
         if (it == registry.end())
-            throw runtime_error(format("No such highlighter factory '{}'", name));
+            throw runtime_error(format("no such highlighter factory: '{}'", name));
         get_highlighter(context, path).add_child(it->value.factory(highlighter_params));
 
         // TODO: better, this will fail if we touch scopes highlighters that impact multiple windows
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ const CommandDesc add_hook_cmd = {
     [](const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context, const ShellContext&)
     {
         if (not contains(hooks, parser[1]))
-            throw runtime_error{format("Unknown hook '{}'", parser[1])};
+            throw runtime_error{format("no such hook: '{}'", parser[1])};
 
         Regex regex{parser[2], RegexCompileFlags::Optimize};
         const String& command = parser[3];
@@ -1053,7 +1053,7 @@ const CommandDesc alias_cmd = {
     [](const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context, const ShellContext&)
     {
         if (not CommandManager::instance().command_defined(parser[2]))
-            throw runtime_error(format("Command '{}' does not exist", parser[2]));
+            throw runtime_error(format("no such command: '{}'", parser[2]));
 
         AliasRegistry& aliases = get_scope(parser[0], context).aliases();
         aliases.add_alias(parser[1], parser[2]);
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ KeymapMode parse_keymap_mode(StringView str, const KeymapManager::UserModeList&
 
     auto it = find(user_modes, str);
     if (it == user_modes.end())
-        throw runtime_error(format("unknown keymap mode '{}'", str));
+        throw runtime_error(format("no such keymap mode: '{}'", str));
 
     char offset = static_cast<char>(KeymapMode::FirstUserMode);
     return (KeymapMode)(std::distance(user_modes.begin(), it) + offset);
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ const CommandDesc debug_cmd = {
             }
         }
         else
-            throw runtime_error(format("unknown debug command '{}'", parser[0]));
+            throw runtime_error(format("no such debug command: '{}'", parser[0]));
     }
 };
 
@@ -1341,7 +1341,7 @@ const CommandDesc unset_option_cmd = {
     {
         auto& options = get_options(parser[0], context, parser[1]);
         if (&options == &GlobalScope::instance().options())
-            throw runtime_error("Cannot unset options in global scope");
+            throw runtime_error("cannot unset options in global scope");
         options.unset_option(parser[1]);
     }
 };
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@ const CommandDesc declare_option_cmd = {
         else if (parser[0] == "range-specs")
             opt = &reg.declare_option<TimestampedList<RangeAndString>>(parser[1], docstring, {}, flags);
         else
-            throw runtime_error(format("unknown type {}", parser[0]));
+            throw runtime_error(format("no such option type: '{}'", parser[0]));
 
         if (parser.positional_count() == 3)
             opt->set_from_string(parser[2]);
@@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@ public:
         }
         catch (runtime_error& e)
         {
-            write_to_debug_buffer(format("Could not restore register '{}': {}",
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("could not restore register '{}': {}",
                                          m_name, e.what()));
         }
     }
@@ -1572,7 +1572,7 @@ void context_wrap(const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context, Func func)
     if ((int)(bool)parser.get_switch("buffer") +
         (int)(bool)parser.get_switch("client") +
         (int)(bool)parser.get_switch("try-client") > 1)
-        throw runtime_error{"Only one of -buffer, -client or -try-client can be specified"};
+        throw runtime_error{"only one of -buffer, -client or -try-client can be specified"};
 
     const bool no_hooks = parser.get_switch("no-hooks") or context.hooks_disabled();
     const bool no_keymaps = not parser.get_switch("with-maps");
@@ -1662,7 +1662,7 @@ void context_wrap(const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context, Func func)
             if (not draft)
             {
                 if (&sels.buffer() != &c.buffer())
-                    throw runtime_error("the buffer has changed while iterating on selections");
+                    throw runtime_error("buffer has changed while iterating on selections");
 
                 update_selections(new_sels, main, c.buffer(), timestamp);
                 timestamp = c.buffer().timestamp();
@@ -1952,7 +1952,7 @@ const CommandDesc info_cmd = {
                     else if (*placement == "below")
                         style = InfoStyle::InlineBelow;
                     else
-                        throw runtime_error(format("invalid placement '{}'", *placement));
+                        throw runtime_error(format("invalid placement: '{}'", *placement));
                 }
             }
             auto title = parser.get_switch("title").value_or(StringView{});
@@ -2036,7 +2036,7 @@ const CommandDesc rename_client_cmd = {
     {
         const String& name = parser[0];
         if (not all_of(name, is_identifier))
-            throw runtime_error{format("Invalid client name '{}'", name)};
+            throw runtime_error{format("invalid client name: '{}'", name)};
         else if (ClientManager::instance().client_name_exists(name) and
                  context.name() != name)
             throw runtime_error{format("client name '{}' is not unique", name)};
@@ -2094,7 +2094,7 @@ const CommandDesc change_directory_cmd = {
     {
         StringView target = parser.positional_count() == 1 ? StringView{parser[0]} : "~";
         if (chdir(parse_filename(target).c_str()) != 0)
-            throw runtime_error(format("cannot change to directory '{}'", target));
+            throw runtime_error(format("unable to change to directory: '{}'", target));
         for (auto& buffer : BufferManager::instance())
             buffer->update_display_name();
     }
@@ -2111,7 +2111,7 @@ const CommandDesc rename_session_cmd = {
     [](const ParametersParser& parser, Context&, const ShellContext&)
     {
         if (not Server::instance().rename_session(parser[0]))
-            throw runtime_error(format("Cannot rename current session: '{}' may be already in use", parser[0]));
+            throw runtime_error(format("unable to rename current session: '{}' may be already in use", parser[0]));
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/face_registry.cc b/src/face_registry.cc
index cfae6cb8..73e4b7b0 100644
--- a/src/face_registry.cc
+++ b/src/face_registry.cc
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ static Face parse_face(StringView facedesc)
                 case 'B': res.attributes |= Attribute::Blink; break;
                 case 'd': res.attributes |= Attribute::Dim; break;
                 case 'i': res.attributes |= Attribute::Italic; break;
-                default: throw runtime_error(format("unknown face attribute '{}'", StringView{*attr_it}));
+                default: throw runtime_error(format("no such face attribute: '{}'", StringView{*attr_it}));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/file.cc b/src/file.cc
index 6fa6d19f..e3be4d78 100644
--- a/src/file.cc
+++ b/src/file.cc
@@ -289,14 +289,14 @@ void write_buffer_to_file(Buffer& buffer, StringView filename, bool force)
         if (::stat(zfilename, &st) == 0)
         {
             if (::chmod(zfilename, st.st_mode | S_IWUSR) < 0)
-                throw runtime_error("couldn't change file permissions");
+                throw runtime_error("unable to change file permissions");
         }
         else
             force = false;
     }
     auto restore_mode = on_scope_end([&]{
         if (force and ::chmod(zfilename, st.st_mode) < 0)
-            throw runtime_error("couldn't restore file permissions");
+            throw runtime_error("unable to restore file permissions");
     });
 
     int fd = open(zfilename, O_CREAT | O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC, 0644);
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ void make_directory(StringView dir, mode_t mode)
         if (stat(dirname.zstr(), &st) == 0)
         {
             if (not S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
-                throw runtime_error(format("Cannot make directory, '{}' exists but is not a directory", dirname));
+                throw runtime_error(format("cannot make directory, '{}' exists but is not a directory", dirname));
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/highlighter_group.cc b/src/highlighter_group.cc
index 45e3e4e2..f7758be0 100644
--- a/src/highlighter_group.cc
+++ b/src/highlighter_group.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void HighlighterGroup::fill_unique_ids(Vector<StringView>& unique_ids) const
 void HighlighterGroup::add_child(HighlighterAndId&& hl)
 {
     if ((hl.second->passes() & passes()) != hl.second->passes())
-        throw runtime_error{"Cannot add that highlighter to this group, passes don't match"};
+        throw runtime_error{"cannot add that highlighter to this group, passes don't match"};
 
     hl.first = replace(hl.first, "/", "<slash>");
 
diff --git a/src/highlighters.cc b/src/highlighters.cc
index 6d594eb7..59a67f1a 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.cc
+++ b/src/highlighters.cc
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ private:
 HighlighterAndId create_dynamic_regex_highlighter(HighlighterParameters params)
 {
     if (params.size() < 2)
-        throw runtime_error("Wrong parameter count");
+        throw runtime_error("wrong parameter count");
 
     FacesSpec faces;
     for (auto& spec : params.subrange(1))
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ struct LineNumbersHighlighter : Highlighter
 
         StringView separator = parser.get_switch("separator").value_or("│");
         if (separator.length() > 10)
-            throw runtime_error("Separator length is limited to 10 bytes");
+            throw runtime_error("separator length is limited to 10 bytes");
 
         return {"number_lines", std::make_unique<LineNumbersHighlighter>((bool)parser.get_switch("relative"), (bool)parser.get_switch("hlcursor"), separator.str())};
     }
diff --git a/src/input_handler.cc b/src/input_handler.cc
index f95fff6c..07909d60 100644
--- a/src/input_handler.cc
+++ b/src/input_handler.cc
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ public:
         else if (key == Key::Escape or key == ctrl('c'))
         {
             if (m_in_end)
-                throw runtime_error("Asked to exit insert mode while running InsertEnd hook");
+                throw runtime_error("asked to exit insert mode while running InsertEnd hook");
             m_in_end = true;
             context().hooks().run_hook("InsertEnd", "", context());
 
diff --git a/src/json_ui.cc b/src/json_ui.cc
index c930d6ef..322085ac 100644
--- a/src/json_ui.cc
+++ b/src/json_ui.cc
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ parse_json(const char* pos, const char* end)
                 throw runtime_error("unable to parse object, expected ',' or '}'");
         }
     }
-    throw runtime_error("Could not parse json");
+    throw runtime_error("unable to parse json");
 }
 
 std::tuple<Value, const char*>
diff --git a/src/keys.cc b/src/keys.cc
index 90dfa59f..412b1c63 100644
--- a/src/keys.cc
+++ b/src/keys.cc
@@ -111,10 +111,10 @@ KeyList parse_keys(StringView str)
             if (val >= 1 and val <= 12)
                 result.emplace_back(modifier, Key::F1 + (val - 1));
             else
-                throw runtime_error("Only F1 through F12 are supported");
+                throw runtime_error("only F1 through F12 are supported");
         }
         else
-            throw runtime_error("Failed to parse " +
+            throw runtime_error("unable to parse " +
                                  StringView{it.base(), end_it.base()+1});
 
         it = end_it;
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index 07b1b5b1..b9f9b7f4 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -1442,7 +1442,7 @@ void start_or_end_macro_recording(Context& context, NormalParams params)
     {
         const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '@');
         if (not is_basic_alpha(reg) and reg != '@')
-            throw runtime_error("Macros can only use the '@' and alphabetic registers");
+            throw runtime_error("macros can only use the '@' and alphabetic registers");
         context.input_handler().start_recording(reg);
     }
 }
@@ -1457,7 +1457,7 @@ void replay_macro(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 {
     const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '@');
     if (not is_basic_alpha(reg) and reg != '@')
-        throw runtime_error("Macros can only use the '@' and alphabetic registers");
+        throw runtime_error("macros can only use the '@' and alphabetic registers");
 
     static bool running_macros[27] = {};
     const size_t idx = reg != '@' ? (size_t)(reg - 'a') : 26;
@@ -1466,7 +1466,7 @@ void replay_macro(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 
     ConstArrayView<String> reg_val = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context);
     if (reg_val.empty() or reg_val[0].empty())
-        throw runtime_error(format("Register '{}' is empty", reg));
+        throw runtime_error(format("register '{}' is empty", reg));
 
     running_macros[idx] = true;
     auto stop = on_scope_end([&]{ running_macros[idx] = false; });
@@ -1675,14 +1675,14 @@ SelectionList read_selections_from_register(char reg, Context& context)
     auto content = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context);
 
     if (content.size() != 1)
-        throw runtime_error(format("Register {} does not contain a selections desc", reg));
+        throw runtime_error(format("register '{}' does not contain a selections desc", reg));
 
     StringView desc = content[0];
     auto arobase = find(desc, '@');
     auto percent = find(desc, '%');
 
     if (arobase == desc.end() or percent == desc.end())
-        throw runtime_error(format("Register {} does not contain a selections desc", reg));
+        throw runtime_error(format("register '{}' does not contain a selections desc", reg));
 
     Buffer& buffer = BufferManager::instance().get_buffer({arobase+1, percent});
     size_t timestamp = str_to_int({percent + 1, desc.end()});
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ SelectionList read_selections_from_register(char reg, Context& context)
                                                   | transform(selection_from_string)
                                                   | gather<Vector<Selection>>();
     if (sels.empty())
-        throw runtime_error(format("Register {} contains an empty selection list", reg));
+        throw runtime_error(format("register '{}' contains an empty selection list", reg));
 
     return {SelectionList::UnsortedTag{}, buffer, std::move(sels), timestamp};
 }
@@ -1719,7 +1719,7 @@ CombineOp key_to_combine_op(Key key)
         case '+': return CombineOp::SelectLongest;
         case '-': return CombineOp::SelectShortest;
     }
-    throw runtime_error{format("unknown combine operator '{}'", key.key)};
+    throw runtime_error{format("no such combine operator: '{}'", key.key)};
 }
 
 void combine_selection(const Buffer& buffer, Selection& sel, const Selection& other, CombineOp op)
@@ -1779,7 +1779,7 @@ void combine_selections(Context& context, SelectionList list, Func func)
                                  else
                                  {
                                      if (list.size() != sels.size())
-                                         throw runtime_error{format("The two selection lists don't have the same number of elements ({} vs {})",
+                                         throw runtime_error{format("the two selection lists don't have the same number of elements ({} vs {})",
                                                                     list.size(), sels.size())};
                                      for (int i = 0; i < list.size(); ++i)
                                          combine_selection(sels.buffer(), list[i], sels[i], op);
@@ -1994,7 +1994,7 @@ void remove_selection(Context& context, NormalParams p)
     if (index >= selections.size())
         throw runtime_error{format("invalid selection index: {}", index)};
     if (selections.size() == 1)
-        throw runtime_error{"Cannot remove the last selection"};
+        throw runtime_error{"cannot remove the last selection"};
 
     selections.remove(index);
     selections.check_invariant();
diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
index b851474f..41874ab2 100644
--- a/src/remote.cc
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ static sockaddr_un session_addr(StringView session)
     addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
     auto slash_count = std::count(session.begin(), session.end(), '/');
     if (slash_count > 1)
-        throw runtime_error{"Session names are either <user>/<name> or <name>"};
+        throw runtime_error{"session names are either <user>/<name> or <name>"};
     else if (slash_count == 1)
         format_to(addr.sun_path, "{}/kakoune/{}", tmpdir(), session);
     else
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ private:
                 break;
             }
             default:
-                write_to_debug_buffer("Invalid introduction message received");
+                write_to_debug_buffer("invalid introduction message received");
                 close(sock);
                 Server::instance().remove_accepter(this);
             }
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ Server::Server(String session_name)
     : m_session{std::move(session_name)}
 {
     if (not all_of(m_session, is_identifier))
-        throw runtime_error{format("Invalid session name '{}'", session_name)};
+        throw runtime_error{format("invalid session name: '{}'", session_name)};
 
     int listen_sock = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
     fcntl(listen_sock, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC);
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ Server::Server(String session_name)
 bool Server::rename_session(StringView name)
 {
     if (not all_of(name, is_identifier))
-        throw runtime_error{format("Invalid session name '{}'", name)};
+        throw runtime_error{format("invalid session name: '{}'", name)};
 
     String old_socket_file = format("{}/kakoune/{}/{}", tmpdir(),
                                     get_user_name(geteuid()), m_session);
diff --git a/src/selectors.cc b/src/selectors.cc
index 124958e2..f7f1a367 100644
--- a/src/selectors.cc
+++ b/src/selectors.cc
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ Selection find_next_match(const Context& context, const Selection& sel, const Re
       : find_prev(buffer, pos, matches, regex, wrapped);
 
     if (not found or matches[0].first == buffer.end())
-        throw runtime_error(format("'{}': no matches found", regex.str()));
+        throw runtime_error(format("no matches found: '{}'", regex.str()));
 
     CaptureList captures;
     for (const auto& match : matches)
diff --git a/src/string_utils.cc b/src/string_utils.cc
index 628bff32..801cd5a3 100644
--- a/src/string_utils.cc
+++ b/src/string_utils.cc
@@ -287,13 +287,13 @@ void format_impl(StringView fmt, ArrayView<const StringView> params, AppendFunc
             append(StringView{it, opening});
             auto closing = std::find(opening, end, '}');
             if (closing == end)
-                throw runtime_error("Format string error, unclosed '{'");
+                throw runtime_error("format string error, unclosed '{'");
 
             const int index = (closing == opening + 1) ?
                 implicitIndex : str_to_int({opening+1, closing});
 
             if (index >= params.size())
-                throw runtime_error("Format string parameter index too big");
+                throw runtime_error("format string parameter index too big");
 
             append(params[index]);
             implicitIndex = index+1;