diff --git a/errors.js b/errors.js
index 1b9eb95..2f260d7 100644
--- a/errors.js
+++ b/errors.js
@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ class ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE extends TypeError {
   }
 }
 
-class ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION extends TypeError {
-  constructor(longOption, shortOption) {
-    super(`options.${longOption}.short must be a single character, got '${shortOption}'`);
-    this.code = 'ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION';
+class ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE extends TypeError {
+  constructor(arg1, arg2, expected) {
+    super(`The property ${arg1} ${expected}. Received '${arg2}'`);
+    this.code = 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE';
   }
 }
 
 module.exports = {
   codes: {
     ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE,
-    ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION
+    ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE
   }
 };
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 6fb591e..ac0e78f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const {
 
 const {
   codes: {
-    ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION,
+    ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE,
   },
 } = require('./errors');
 
@@ -117,7 +117,11 @@ const parseArgs = ({
         const shortOption = optionConfig.short;
         validateString(shortOption, `options.${longOption}.short`);
         if (shortOption.length !== 1) {
-          throw new ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION(longOption, shortOption);
+          throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE(
+            `options.${longOption}.short`,
+            shortOption,
+            'must be a single character'
+          );
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 93fe85c..2a8f99b 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ test('invalid short option length', (t) => {
   const passedOptions = { foo: { short: 'fo', type: 'boolean' } };
 
   t.throws(function() { parseArgs({ args: passedArgs, options: passedOptions }); }, {
-    code: 'ERR_INVALID_SHORT_OPTION'
+    code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE'
   });
 
   t.end();