diff --git a/src/libstd/fmt/parse.rs b/src/libstd/fmt/parse.rs
index 504050f9a771a..401ddfe67f50e 100644
--- a/src/libstd/fmt/parse.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/fmt/parse.rs
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ impl<'self> Iterator<Piece<'self>> for Parser<'self> {
             }
             Some((_, '}')) if self.depth == 0 => {
                 self.cur.next();
-                self.err(~"unmatched `}` found");
+                self.err("unmatched `}` found");
                 None
             }
             Some((_, '}')) | None => { None }
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
     /// Notifies of an error. The message doesn't actually need to be of type
     /// ~str, but I think it does when this eventually uses conditions so it
     /// might as well start using it now.
-    fn err(&self, msg: ~str) {
-        parse_error::cond.raise(msg);
+    fn err(&self, msg: &str) {
+        parse_error::cond.raise("invalid format string: " + msg);
     }
 
     /// Optionally consumes the specified character. If the character is not at
@@ -230,11 +230,11 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
                 self.cur.next();
             }
             Some((_, other)) => {
-                parse_error::cond.raise(
+                self.err(
                     format!("expected `{}` but found `{}`", c, other));
             }
             None => {
-                parse_error::cond.raise(
+                self.err(
                     format!("expected `{}` but string was terminated", c));
             }
         }
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
                 c
             }
             None => {
-                self.err(~"expected an escape sequence, but format string was \
+                self.err("expected an escape sequence, but format string was \
                            terminated");
                 ' '
             }
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
                 Some(self.plural())
             }
             "" => {
-                self.err(~"expected method after comma");
+                self.err("expected method after comma");
                 return None;
             }
             method => {
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
             self.ws();
             let selector = self.word();
             if selector == "" {
-                self.err(~"cannot have an empty selector");
+                self.err("cannot have an empty selector");
                 break
             }
             self.must_consume('{');
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
             self.must_consume('}');
             if selector == "other" {
                 if !other.is_none() {
-                    self.err(~"multiple `other` statements in `select");
+                    self.err("multiple `other` statements in `select");
                 }
                 other = Some(pieces);
             } else {
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
         let other = match other {
             Some(arm) => { arm }
             None => {
-                self.err(~"`select` statement must provide an `other` case");
+                self.err("`select` statement must provide an `other` case");
                 ~[]
             }
         };
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
                             match self.integer() {
                                 Some(i) => { offset = Some(i); }
                                 None => {
-                                    self.err(~"offset must be an integer");
+                                    self.err("offset must be an integer");
                                 }
                             }
                         }
@@ -506,8 +506,8 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
                 match self.integer() {
                     Some(i) => Right(i),
                     None => {
-                        self.err(~"plural `=` selectors must be followed by an \
-                                   integer");
+                        self.err("plural `=` selectors must be followed by an \
+                                  integer");
                         Right(0)
                     }
                 }
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
             self.must_consume('}');
             if isother {
                 if !other.is_none() {
-                    self.err(~"multiple `other` statements in `select");
+                    self.err("multiple `other` statements in `select");
                 }
                 other = Some(pieces);
             } else {
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ impl<'self> Parser<'self> {
         let other = match other {
             Some(arm) => { arm }
             None => {
-                self.err(~"`plural` statement must provide an `other` case");
+                self.err("`plural` statement must provide an `other` case");
                 ~[]
             }
         };