diff --git a/lib/elixir/src/elixir_fn.erl b/lib/elixir/src/elixir_fn.erl
index cf1e7ea1e73..7085cda7e42 100644
--- a/lib/elixir/src/elixir_fn.erl
+++ b/lib/elixir/src/elixir_fn.erl
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ escape({'&', _, [Pos]}, _E, Dict) when is_integer(Pos), Pos > 0 ->
   Var = {list_to_atom([$x | integer_to_list(Pos)]), [], ?var_context},
   {Var, orddict:store(Pos, Var, Dict)};
 escape({'&', Meta, [Pos]}, E, _Dict) when is_integer(Pos) ->
-  form_error(Meta, E, ?MODULE, {unallowed_capture_arg, Pos});
+  form_error(Meta, E, ?MODULE, {invalid_arity_for_capture, Pos});
 escape({'&', Meta, _} = Arg, E, _Dict) ->
   form_error(Meta, E, ?MODULE, {nested_capture, Arg});
 escape({Left, Meta, Right}, E, Dict0) ->
@@ -178,18 +178,19 @@ format_error(clauses_with_different_arities) ->
 format_error(defaults_in_args) ->
   "anonymous functions cannot have optional arguments";
 format_error({block_expr_in_capture, Expr}) ->
-  io_lib:format("invalid args for &, block expressions are not allowed, got: ~ts",
+  io_lib:format("block expressions are not allowed inside the capture operator &, got: ~ts",
                 ['Elixir.Macro':to_string(Expr)]);
 format_error({nested_capture, Arg}) ->
-  io_lib:format("nested captures via & are not allowed: ~ts", ['Elixir.Macro':to_string(Arg)]);
+  io_lib:format("nested captures are not allowed. You cannot define a function using "
+    " the capture operator & inside another function defined via &. Got invalid nested "
+    "capture: ~ts", ['Elixir.Macro':to_string(Arg)]);
 format_error({invalid_arity_for_capture, Arity}) ->
-  io_lib:format("invalid arity for &, expected a number between 0 and 255, got: ~b", [Arity]);
+  io_lib:format("capture argument &~B must be numbered between 1 and 255", [Arity]);
 format_error({capture_arg_outside_of_capture, Integer}) ->
-  io_lib:format("unhandled &~B outside of a capture", [Integer]);
+  io_lib:format("capture argument &~B must be used within the capture operator &", [Integer]);
 format_error({capture_arg_without_predecessor, Pos, Expected}) ->
-  io_lib:format("capture &~B cannot be defined without &~B", [Pos, Expected]);
-format_error({unallowed_capture_arg, Integer}) ->
-  io_lib:format("capture &~B is not allowed", [Integer]);
+  io_lib:format("capture argument &~B cannot be defined without &~B "
+    "(you cannot skip arguments, all arguments must be numbered)", [Pos, Expected]);
 format_error({invalid_args_for_capture, Arg}) ->
   Message =
     "invalid args for &, expected one of:\n\n"
diff --git a/lib/elixir/test/elixir/kernel/expansion_test.exs b/lib/elixir/test/elixir/kernel/expansion_test.exs
index 3ec2d0de6ee..fb62e77f407 100644
--- a/lib/elixir/test/elixir/kernel/expansion_test.exs
+++ b/lib/elixir/test/elixir/kernel/expansion_test.exs
@@ -1084,21 +1084,21 @@ defmodule Kernel.ExpansionTest do
     end
 
     test "fails on non-continuous" do
-      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture &0 is not allowed", fn ->
+      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture argument &0 must be numbered between 1 and 255", fn ->
         expand(quote(do: &foo(&0)))
       end
 
-      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture &2 cannot be defined without &1", fn ->
+      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture argument &2 cannot be defined without &1", fn ->
         expand(quote(do: & &2))
       end
 
-      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture &255 cannot be defined without &1", fn ->
+      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"capture argument &255 cannot be defined without &1", fn ->
         expand(quote(do: & &255))
       end
     end
 
     test "fails on block" do
-      message = ~r"invalid args for &, block expressions are not allowed, got: 1\n2"
+      message = ~r"block expressions are not allowed inside the capture operator &, got: 1\n2"
 
       assert_raise CompileError, message, fn ->
         code =
@@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ defmodule Kernel.ExpansionTest do
     end
 
     test "fails on invalid arity" do
-      message = ~r"invalid arity for &, expected a number between 0 and 255, got: 256"
+      message = ~r"capture argument &256 must be numbered between 1 and 255"
 
       assert_raise CompileError, message, fn ->
         expand(quote(do: &Mod.fun/256))
@@ -1134,15 +1134,15 @@ defmodule Kernel.ExpansionTest do
     end
 
     test "fails on nested capture" do
-      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"nested captures via & are not allowed: & &1", fn ->
+      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"nested captures are not allowed", fn ->
         expand(quote(do: &(& &1)))
       end
     end
 
     test "fails on integers" do
-      assert_raise CompileError, ~r"unhandled &1 outside of a capture", fn ->
-        expand(quote(do: &1))
-      end
+      assert_raise CompileError,
+                   ~r"capture argument &1 must be used within the capture operator &",
+                   fn -> expand(quote(do: &1)) end
     end
   end