diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/symtab/classfile/Pickler.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/symtab/classfile/Pickler.scala
index 25b781364692..e8b0cd2696af 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/symtab/classfile/Pickler.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/symtab/classfile/Pickler.scala
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ abstract class Pickler extends SubComponent {
         if (!t.isDef && t.hasSymbol && t.symbol.isTermMacro) {
           unit.error(t.pos, t.symbol.typeParams.length match {
             case 0 => "macro has not been expanded"
-            case 1 => "type parameter not specified"
-            case _ => "type parameters not specified"
+            case 1 => "this type parameter must be specified"
+            case _ => "these type parameters must be specified"
           })
           return
         }
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t5353.check b/test/files/neg/t5353.check
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..75e24356000a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/neg/t5353.check
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+t5353.scala:2: error: this type parameter must be specified
+  def f(x: Boolean) = if (x) Array("abc") else Array()
+                                                    ^
+one error found
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t5353.scala b/test/files/neg/t5353.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1ee869aac195
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/neg/t5353.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+class A {
+  def f(x: Boolean) = if (x) Array("abc") else Array()
+}
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t5692a.check b/test/files/neg/t5692a.check
index ded95a882011..7fbfb5dba7ee 100644
--- a/test/files/neg/t5692a.check
+++ b/test/files/neg/t5692a.check
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Test_2.scala:2: error: type parameter not specified
+Test_2.scala:2: error: this type parameter must be specified
   def x = Macros.foo
                  ^
 one error found
diff --git a/test/files/neg/t5692b.check b/test/files/neg/t5692b.check
index e453870ec83e..16796826b471 100644
--- a/test/files/neg/t5692b.check
+++ b/test/files/neg/t5692b.check
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Test_2.scala:2: error: type parameters not specified
+Test_2.scala:2: error: these type parameters must be specified
   def x = Macros.foo
                  ^
 one error found