diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 2b0386265..1de51dc19 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -3580,9 +3580,9 @@ _objlist_set_fcn_tc_config_qdiscs (NMSetting *setting,
 	tc_qdisc = nm_utils_tc_qdisc_from_str (value, &local);
 	if (!tc_qdisc) {
 		nm_utils_error_set (error, NM_UTILS_ERROR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
-		                    "%s %s",
+		                    "%s. %s",
 		                    local->message,
-		                    _("The valid syntax is: '[root | parent <handle>] [handle <handle>] <qdisc>'"));
+		                    _("The valid syntax is: '[root | parent <handle>] [handle <handle>] <kind>'"));
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 	if (do_add)
@@ -3604,7 +3604,7 @@ _objlist_set_fcn_bridge_vlans (NMSetting *setting,
 	vlan = nm_bridge_vlan_from_str (value, &local);
 	if (!vlan) {
 		nm_utils_error_set (error, NM_UTILS_ERROR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
-		                    "%s %s",
+		                    "%s. %s",
 		                    local->message,
 		                    _("The valid syntax is: '<vid> [pvid] [untagged]"));
 		return FALSE;
@@ -3656,9 +3656,9 @@ _objlist_set_fcn_tc_config_tfilters (NMSetting *setting,
 	tc_tfilter = nm_utils_tc_tfilter_from_str (value, &local);
 	if (!tc_tfilter) {
 		nm_utils_error_set (error, NM_UTILS_ERROR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
-		                    "%s %s",
+		                    "%s. %s",
 		                    local->message,
-		                    _("The valid syntax is: '[root | parent <handle>] [handle <handle>] <tfilter>'"));
+		                    _("The valid syntax is: '[root | parent <handle>] [handle <handle>] <kind>'"));
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 	if (do_add)
diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-setting-tc-config.c b/libnm-core/nm-setting-tc-config.c
index 7425ae73f..ebae3b0e2 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-setting-tc-config.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-setting-tc-config.c
@@ -62,7 +62,15 @@ nm_tc_qdisc_new (const char *kind,
 {
 	NMTCQdisc *qdisc;
 
-	if (!kind || !*kind || strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
+	if (!kind || !*kind) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
+		             _("kind is missing"));
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
@@ -290,7 +298,15 @@ nm_tc_action_new (const char *kind,
 {
 	NMTCAction *action;
 
-	if (!kind || !*kind || strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
+	if (!kind || !*kind) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
+		             _("kind is missing"));
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
@@ -544,7 +560,15 @@ nm_tc_tfilter_new (const char *kind,
 {
 	NMTCTfilter *tfilter;
 
-	if (!kind || !*kind || strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
+	if (!kind || !*kind) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
+		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
+		             _("kind is missing"));
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (strchr (kind, ' ') || strchr (kind, '\t')) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
 		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,