diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/resolve.rs b/src/librustc/middle/resolve.rs
index 4d04fa7f73c..9d75fa644a3 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/resolve.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/resolve.rs
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                     let ns = namespace_for_duplicate_checking_mode(
                         duplicate_checking_mode);
                     self.session.span_err(sp,
-                        fmt!("duplicate definition of %s %s",
+                        fmt!("duplicate definition of %s `%s`",
                              namespace_to_str(ns),
                              *self.session.str_of(name)));
                     for child.span_for_namespace(ns).each |sp| {
@@ -1959,7 +1959,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
             match self.resolve_import_for_module(module, import_directive) {
                 Failed => {
                     // We presumably emitted an error. Continue.
-                    let msg = fmt!("failed to resolve import: %s",
+                    let msg = fmt!("failed to resolve import `%s`",
                                    *self.import_path_to_str(
                                        import_directive.module_path,
                                        *import_directive.subclass));
@@ -2488,7 +2488,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                         self.session.span_err(span {lo: span.lo, hi: span.lo +
                                               BytePos(str::len(*segment_name)), expn_info:
                                               span.expn_info}, fmt!("unresolved import. maybe \
-                                                                    a missing 'extern mod %s'?",
+                                                                    a missing `extern mod %s`?",
                                                                     *segment_name));
                         return Failed;
                     }
@@ -2511,7 +2511,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                                     // Not a module.
                                     self.session.span_err(span,
                                                           fmt!("not a \
-                                                                module: %s",
+                                                                module `%s`",
                                                                *self.session.
                                                                    str_of(
                                                                     name)));
@@ -2525,7 +2525,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                         None => {
                             // There are no type bindings at all.
                             self.session.span_err(span,
-                                                  fmt!("not a module: %s",
+                                                  fmt!("not a module `%s`",
                                                        *self.session.str_of(
                                                             name)));
                             return Failed;
@@ -2976,7 +2976,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
         }
 
         // We're out of luck.
-        debug!("(resolving name in module) failed to resolve %s",
+        debug!("(resolving name in module) failed to resolve `%s`",
                *self.session.str_of(name));
         return Failed;
     }
@@ -4158,7 +4158,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                                       // in the same disjunct, which is an
                                       // error
                                      self.session.span_err(pattern.span,
-                                       fmt!("Identifier %s is bound more \
+                                       fmt!("Identifier `%s` is bound more \
                                              than once in the same pattern",
                                             path_to_str(path, self.session
                                                         .intr())));
@@ -4199,7 +4199,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                         Some(_) => {
                             self.session.span_err(
                                 path.span,
-                                fmt!("not an enum variant or constant: %s",
+                                fmt!("`%s` is not an enum variant or constant",
                                      *self.session.str_of(
                                          *path.idents.last())));
                         }
@@ -4227,7 +4227,7 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                         Some(_) => {
                             self.session.span_err(
                                 path.span,
-                                fmt!("not an enum variant, struct or const: %s",
+                                fmt!("`%s` is not an enum variant, struct or const",
                                      *self.session.str_of(
                                          *path.idents.last())));
                         }
@@ -4723,8 +4723,8 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                             path.idents);
                         if self.name_exists_in_scope_struct(wrong_name) {
                             self.session.span_err(expr.span,
-                                        fmt!("unresolved name: `%s`. \
-                                            Did you mean: `self.%s`?",
+                                        fmt!("unresolved name `%s`. \
+                                            Did you mean `self.%s`?",
                                         wrong_name,
                                         wrong_name));
                         }
@@ -4734,13 +4734,13 @@ pub impl Resolver {
                             match self.find_best_match_for_name(wrong_name, 5) {
                                 Some(m) => {
                                     self.session.span_err(expr.span,
-                                            fmt!("unresolved name: `%s`. \
-                                                Did you mean: `%s`?",
+                                            fmt!("unresolved name `%s`. \
+                                                Did you mean `%s`?",
                                                 wrong_name, m));
                                 }
                                 None => {
                                     self.session.span_err(expr.span,
-                                            fmt!("unresolved name: `%s`.",
+                                            fmt!("unresolved name `%s`.",
                                                 wrong_name));
                                 }
                             }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs
index 73f2c81302c..3caac6dbcfe 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ fn my_fail() -> ! { fail!(); }
 fn main() {
     match true { false => { my_fail(); } true => { } }
 
-    debug!(x); //~ ERROR unresolved name: `x`.
+    debug!(x); //~ ERROR unresolved name `x`.
     let x: int;
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path.rs
index 30014817308..c17baf40d64 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-// error-pattern: unresolved name: `m1::a`. Did you mean: `args`?
+// error-pattern: unresolved name `m1::a`. Did you mean `args`?
 
 mod m1 {}
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path2.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path2.rs
index 88239a4cc3f..936f893ae8e 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path2.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/bad-expr-path2.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-// error-pattern: unresolved name: `m1::a`. Did you mean: `args`?
+// error-pattern: unresolved name `m1::a`. Did you mean `args`?
 
 mod m1 {
     pub mod a {}
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/does-nothing.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/does-nothing.rs
index 699baad4d43..1dacbe9a199 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/does-nothing.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/does-nothing.rs
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-// error-pattern: unresolved name: `this_does_nothing_what_the`.
+// error-pattern: unresolved name `this_does_nothing_what_the`.
 fn main() { debug!("doing"); this_does_nothing_what_the; debug!("boing"); }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-1476.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-1476.rs
index 1d58a4229d3..f223cd428ec 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-1476.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-1476.rs
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@
 // except according to those terms.
 
 fn main() {
-    error!(x); //~ ERROR unresolved name: `x`.
+    error!(x); //~ ERROR unresolved name `x`.
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-2281-part1.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-2281-part1.rs
index 3951eaad6d1..60c80c1a315 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-2281-part1.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-2281-part1.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-// error-pattern: unresolved name: `foobar`.
+// error-pattern: unresolved name `foobar`.
 
 fn main(args: ~[str]) { debug!(foobar); }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-b.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-b.rs
index e6d16042445..3769154c9d9 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-b.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-b.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ fn siphash(k0 : u64) {
     pub impl siphash {
         fn reset(&mut self) {
            self.v0 = k0 ^ 0x736f6d6570736575; //~ ERROR attempted dynamic environment-capture
-           //~^ ERROR unresolved name: `k0`.
+           //~^ ERROR unresolved name `k0`.
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-d.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-d.rs
index 2daf3e7a210..55c8e8aa51d 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-d.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021-d.rs
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ fn siphash(k0 : u64, k1 : u64) -> siphash {
    impl siphash for SipState {
         fn reset(&self) {
             self.v0 = k0 ^ 0x736f6d6570736575;  //~ ERROR attempted dynamic environment-capture
-            //~^ ERROR unresolved name: `k0`.
+            //~^ ERROR unresolved name `k0`.
             self.v1 = k1 ^ 0x646f72616e646f6d;   //~ ERROR attempted dynamic environment-capture
-            //~^ ERROR unresolved name: `k1`.
+            //~^ ERROR unresolved name `k1`.
         }
         fn result(&self) -> u64 { return mk_result(self); }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021.rs
index 343683d79c1..f2cf2d19a86 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3021.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ fn siphash(k0 : u64) -> SipHash {
     impl SipHash for SipState {
         fn reset(&self) {
            self.v0 = k0 ^ 0x736f6d6570736575; //~ ERROR attempted dynamic environment-capture
-           //~^ ERROR unresolved name: `k0`.
+           //~^ ERROR unresolved name `k0`.
         }
     }
     fail!();
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3038.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3038.rs
index 4ed21bc30e1..1cdb226e39e 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3038.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3038.rs
@@ -20,16 +20,16 @@ fn main()
 
     let _z = match g(1, 2) {
       g(x, x) => { debug!(x + x); }
-      //~^ ERROR Identifier x is bound more than once in the same pattern
+      //~^ ERROR Identifier `x` is bound more than once in the same pattern
     };
 
     let _z = match i(l(1, 2), m(3, 4)) {
-      i(l(x, _), m(_, x))  //~ ERROR Identifier x is bound more than once in the same pattern
+      i(l(x, _), m(_, x))  //~ ERROR Identifier `x` is bound more than once in the same pattern
         => { error!(x + x); }
     };
 
     let _z = match (1, 2) {
-        (x, x) => { x } //~ ERROR Identifier x is bound more than once in the same pattern
+        (x, x) => { x } //~ ERROR Identifier `x` is bound more than once in the same pattern
     };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-a.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-a.rs
index b663087aa89..1b11fcac8a3 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-a.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-a.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@
 
 enum a { b, c }
 
-enum a { d, e } //~ ERROR duplicate definition of type a
+enum a { d, e } //~ ERROR duplicate definition of type `a`
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-b.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-b.rs
index 1acfb753a4f..3d22a59d6bd 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-b.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099-b.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@
 
 pub mod a {}
 
-pub mod a {} //~ ERROR duplicate definition of type a
+pub mod a {} //~ ERROR duplicate definition of type `a`
 
 fn main() {}
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099.rs
index 7cb8a0cfbad..abc76b9da0f 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-3099.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ fn a(x: ~str) -> ~str {
     fmt!("First function with %s", x)
 }
 
-fn a(x: ~str, y: ~str) -> ~str { //~ ERROR duplicate definition of value a
+fn a(x: ~str, y: ~str) -> ~str { //~ ERROR duplicate definition of value `a`
     fmt!("Second function with %s and %s", x, y)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4265.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4265.rs
index e76d211deda..a1a77092b12 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4265.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4265.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ impl Foo {
         Foo { baz: 0 }.bar();
     }
 
-    fn bar() { //~ ERROR duplicate definition of value bar
+    fn bar() { //~ ERROR duplicate definition of value `bar`
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4366.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4366.rs
index f4e57171599..98599b5d080 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4366.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/issue-4366.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ mod a {
     }
     pub mod sub {
         use a::b::*;
-        fn sub() -> bar { foo(); 1 } //~ ERROR: unresolved name: `foo`
+        fn sub() -> bar { foo(); 1 } //~ ERROR: unresolved name `foo`
         //~^ ERROR: use of undeclared type name `bar`
     }
 }
@@ -35,5 +35,5 @@ mod m1 {
 }
 
 fn main() {
-    foo(); //~ ERROR: unresolved name: `foo`
+    foo(); //~ ERROR: unresolved name `foo`
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/test-cfg.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/test-cfg.rs
index a090dd9de5d..a8c52813513 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/test-cfg.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/test-cfg.rs
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@
 fn foo() {}
 
 fn main() {
-    foo(); //~ ERROR unresolved name: `foo`.
+    foo(); //~ ERROR unresolved name `foo`.
 }