diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index adbcc68..f7a2f17 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ static void if_then_else_handler(struct ref_formatting_stack **stack)
 	struct if_then_else *if_then_else = (struct if_then_else *)cur->at_end_data;
 
 	if (!if_then_else->then_atom_seen)
-		die(_("format: %%(if) atom used without a %%(then) atom"));
+		die(_("format: %%(%s) atom used without a %%(%s) atom"), "if", "then");
 
 	if (if_then_else->else_atom_seen) {
 		/*
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ static int then_atom_handler(struct atom_value *atomv, struct ref_formatting_sta
 	if (cur->at_end == if_then_else_handler)
 		if_then_else = (struct if_then_else *)cur->at_end_data;
 	if (!if_then_else)
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(then) atom used without an %%(if) atom"));
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(%s) atom used without a %%(%s) atom"), "then", "if");
 	if (if_then_else->then_atom_seen)
 		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(then) atom used more than once"));
 	if (if_then_else->else_atom_seen)
@@ -943,9 +943,9 @@ static int else_atom_handler(struct atom_value *atomv, struct ref_formatting_sta
 	if (prev->at_end == if_then_else_handler)
 		if_then_else = (struct if_then_else *)prev->at_end_data;
 	if (!if_then_else)
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(else) atom used without an %%(if) atom"));
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(%s) atom used without a %%(%s) atom"), "else", "if");
 	if (!if_then_else->then_atom_seen)
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(else) atom used without a %%(then) atom"));
+		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(%s) atom used without a %%(%s) atom"), "else", "then");
 	if (if_then_else->else_atom_seen)
 		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("format: %%(else) atom used more than once"));
 	if_then_else->else_atom_seen = 1;