diff --git a/lib/internal/errors.js b/lib/internal/errors.js
index ad12d99c7cc49c..8b0a7a0d7aab66 100644
--- a/lib/internal/errors.js
+++ b/lib/internal/errors.js
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ const {
 const messages = new Map();
 const codes = {};
 
+const classRegExp = /^([A-Z][a-z0-9]*)+$/;
+// Sorted by a rough estimate on most frequently used entries.
+const kTypes = [
+  'string',
+  'function',
+  'number',
+  'object',
+  // Accept 'Function' and 'Object' as alternative to the lower cased version.
+  'Function',
+  'Object',
+  'boolean',
+  'bigint',
+  'symbol'
+];
+
 const { kMaxLength } = internalBinding('buffer');
 
 const MainContextError = Error;
@@ -610,26 +625,6 @@ function isStackOverflowError(err) {
          err.message === maxStack_ErrorMessage;
 }
 
-function oneOf(expected, thing) {
-  assert(typeof thing === 'string', '`thing` has to be of type string');
-  if (ArrayIsArray(expected)) {
-    const len = expected.length;
-    assert(len > 0,
-           'At least one expected value needs to be specified');
-    expected = expected.map((i) => String(i));
-    if (len > 2) {
-      return `one of ${thing} ${expected.slice(0, len - 1).join(', ')}, or ` +
-             expected[len - 1];
-    } else if (len === 2) {
-      return `one of ${thing} ${expected[0]} or ${expected[1]}`;
-    } else {
-      return `of ${thing} ${expected[0]}`;
-    }
-  } else {
-    return `of ${thing} ${String(expected)}`;
-  }
-}
-
 // Only use this for integers! Decimal numbers do not work with this function.
 function addNumericalSeparator(val) {
   let res = '';
@@ -926,27 +921,114 @@ E('ERR_INVALID_ADDRESS_FAMILY', function(addressType, host, port) {
 E('ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   (name, expected, actual) => {
     assert(typeof name === 'string', "'name' must be a string");
+    if (!ArrayIsArray(expected)) {
+      expected = [expected];
+    }
+
+    let msg = 'The ';
+    if (name.endsWith(' argument')) {
+      // For cases like 'first argument'
+      msg += `${name} `;
+    } else {
+      const type = name.includes('.') ? 'property' : 'argument';
+      msg += `"${name}" ${type} `;
+    }
 
     // determiner: 'must be' or 'must not be'
-    let determiner;
     if (typeof expected === 'string' && expected.startsWith('not ')) {
-      determiner = 'must not be';
+      msg += 'must not be ';
       expected = expected.replace(/^not /, '');
     } else {
-      determiner = 'must be';
+      msg += 'must be ';
     }
 
-    let msg;
-    if (name.endsWith(' argument')) {
-      // For cases like 'first argument'
-      msg = `The ${name} ${determiner} ${oneOf(expected, 'type')}`;
-    } else {
-      const type = name.includes('.') ? 'property' : 'argument';
-      msg = `The "${name}" ${type} ${determiner} ${oneOf(expected, 'type')}`;
+    const types = [];
+    const instances = [];
+    const other = [];
+
+    for (const value of expected) {
+      assert(typeof value === 'string',
+             'All expected entries have to be of type string');
+      if (kTypes.includes(value)) {
+        types.push(value.toLowerCase());
+      } else if (classRegExp.test(value)) {
+        instances.push(value);
+      } else {
+        assert(value !== 'object',
+               'The value "object" should be written as "Object"');
+        other.push(value);
+      }
     }
 
-    // TODO(BridgeAR): Improve the output by showing `null` and similar.
-    msg += `. Received type ${typeof actual}`;
+    // Special handle `object` in case other instances are allowed to outline
+    // the differences between each other.
+    if (instances.length > 0) {
+      const pos = types.indexOf('object');
+      if (pos !== -1) {
+        types.splice(pos, 1);
+        instances.push('Object');
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (types.length > 0) {
+      if (types.length > 2) {
+        const last = types.pop();
+        msg += `one of type ${types.join(', ')}, or ${last}`;
+      } else if (types.length === 2) {
+        msg += `one of type ${types[0]} or ${types[1]}`;
+      } else {
+        msg += `of type ${types[0]}`;
+      }
+      if (instances.length > 0 || other.length > 0)
+        msg += ' or ';
+    }
+
+    if (instances.length > 0) {
+      if (instances.length > 2) {
+        const last = instances.pop();
+        msg += `an instance of ${instances.join(', ')}, or ${last}`;
+      } else {
+        msg += `an instance of ${instances[0]}`;
+        if (instances.length === 2) {
+          msg += ` or ${instances[1]}`;
+        }
+      }
+      if (other.length > 0)
+        msg += ' or ';
+    }
+
+    if (other.length > 0) {
+      if (other.length > 2) {
+        const last = other.pop();
+        msg += `one of ${other.join(', ')}, or ${last}`;
+      } else if (other.length === 2) {
+        msg += `one of ${other[0]} or ${other[1]}`;
+      } else {
+        if (other[0].toLowerCase() !== other[0])
+          msg += 'an ';
+        msg += `${other[0]}`;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (actual == null) {
+      msg += `. Received ${actual}`;
+    } else if (typeof actual === 'function' && actual.name) {
+      msg += `. Received function ${actual.name}`;
+    } else if (typeof actual === 'object') {
+      if (actual.constructor && actual.constructor.name) {
+        msg += `. Received an instance of ${actual.constructor.name}`;
+      } else {
+        const inspected = lazyInternalUtilInspect()
+          .inspect(actual, { depth: -1 });
+        msg += `. Received ${inspected}`;
+      }
+    } else {
+      let inspected = lazyInternalUtilInspect()
+        .inspect(actual, { colors: false });
+      if (inspected.length > 25)
+        inspected = `${inspected.slice(0, 25)}...`;
+      msg += `. Received type ${typeof actual} (${inspected})`;
+    }
     return msg;
   }, TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE', (name, value, reason = 'is invalid') => {
@@ -1034,7 +1116,15 @@ E('ERR_INVALID_URL', function(input) {
   return `Invalid URL: ${input}`;
 }, TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_URL_SCHEME',
-  (expected) => `The URL must be ${oneOf(expected, 'scheme')}`, TypeError);
+  (expected) => {
+    if (typeof expected === 'string')
+      expected = [expected];
+    assert(expected.length <= 2);
+    const res = expected.length === 2 ?
+      `one of scheme ${expected[0]} or ${expected[1]}` :
+      `of scheme ${expected[0]}`;
+    return `The URL must be ${res}`;
+  }, TypeError);
 E('ERR_IPC_CHANNEL_CLOSED', 'Channel closed', Error);
 E('ERR_IPC_DISCONNECTED', 'IPC channel is already disconnected', Error);
 E('ERR_IPC_ONE_PIPE', 'Child process can have only one IPC pipe', Error);
diff --git a/test/common/index.js b/test/common/index.js
index d774bffe0fadb5..a320a1bebfefd3 100644
--- a/test/common/index.js
+++ b/test/common/index.js
@@ -718,6 +718,26 @@ function runWithInvalidFD(func) {
   printSkipMessage('Could not generate an invalid fd');
 }
 
+// A helper function to simplify checking for ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE output.
+function invalidArgTypeHelper(input) {
+  if (input == null) {
+    return ` Received ${input}`;
+  }
+  if (typeof input === 'function' && input.name) {
+    return ` Received function ${input.name}`;
+  }
+  if (typeof input === 'object') {
+    if (input.constructor && input.constructor.name) {
+      return ` Received an instance of ${input.constructor.name}`;
+    }
+    return ` Received ${util.inspect(input, { depth: -1 })}`;
+  }
+  let inspected = util.inspect(input, { colors: false });
+  if (inspected.length > 25)
+    inspected = `${inspected.slice(0, 25)}...`;
+  return ` Received type ${typeof input} (${inspected})`;
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   allowGlobals,
   buildType,
@@ -735,6 +755,7 @@ module.exports = {
   hasIntl,
   hasCrypto,
   hasMultiLocalhost,
+  invalidArgTypeHelper,
   isAIX,
   isAlive,
   isFreeBSD,
diff --git a/test/es-module/test-esm-loader-modulemap.js b/test/es-module/test-esm-loader-modulemap.js
index 5493c6c47c9643..1a9e6dea826c21 100644
--- a/test/es-module/test-esm-loader-modulemap.js
+++ b/test/es-module/test-esm-loader-modulemap.js
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number' +
+             ' (1)'
   }
 );
 
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number' +
+             ' (1)'
   }
 );
 
@@ -43,8 +45,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "job" argument must be of type ModuleJob. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+    message: 'The "job" argument must be an instance of ModuleJob. ' +
+             "Received type string ('notamodulejob')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type number' +
+             ' (1)'
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/internet/test-dns-promises-resolve.js b/test/internet/test-dns-promises-resolve.js
index 6291e0365c2fa4..b9e7fa42302c0d 100644
--- a/test/internet/test-dns-promises-resolve.js
+++ b/test/internet/test-dns-promises-resolve.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const dnsPromises = require('dns').promises;
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "rrtype" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof rrtype}`
+               `Received type ${typeof rrtype} (${rrtype})`
     }
   );
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert-async.js b/test/parallel/test-assert-async.js
index cbb4431f1952df..dd98c0a23339ec 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert-async.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert-async.js
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ promises.push(assert.rejects(
   assert.rejects('fail', {}),
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "promiseFn" argument must be one of type ' +
-             'Function or Promise. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "promiseFn" argument must be of type function or an ' +
+             "instance of Promise. Received type string ('fail')"
   }
 ));
 
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ promises.push(assert.rejects(
     assert.doesNotReject(123),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "promiseFn" argument must be one of type ' +
-               'Function or Promise. Received type number'
+      message: 'The "promiseFn" argument must be of type ' +
+               'function or an instance of Promise. Received type number (123)'
     }
   ));
   /* eslint-enable no-restricted-syntax */
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert.js b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
index 48b44ce29b4979..80a8948597b1b6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ assert.throws(
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "fn" argument must be of type Function. Received ' +
-                 `type ${typeof fn}`
+        message: 'The "fn" argument must be of type function.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(fn)
       }
     );
   };
@@ -484,8 +484,8 @@ assert.throws(() => {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
       });
   });
 }
@@ -931,8 +931,9 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "error" argument must be one of type Object, Error, ' +
-             'Function, or RegExp. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "error" argument must be of type function or ' +
+             'an instance of Error, RegExp, or Object. Received type string ' +
+             "('Error message')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -945,8 +946,9 @@ common.expectsError(
     () => assert.throws(() => {}, input),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "error" argument must be one of type Object, Error, ' +
-               `Function, or RegExp. Received type ${typeof input}`
+      message: 'The "error" argument must be of type function or ' +
+               'an instance of Error, RegExp, or Object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -1024,8 +1026,8 @@ common.expectsError(
     {
       type: TypeError,
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "expected" argument must be one of type Function or ' +
-               'RegExp. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "expected" argument must be of type function or an ' +
+               'instance of RegExp. Received an instance of Object'
     }
   );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-alloc.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-alloc.js
index de3e7fa52390f0..75bcb03d1913c4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-alloc.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-alloc.js
@@ -967,19 +967,19 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "target" argument must be one of type Buffer or Uint8Array.' +
-             ' Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "target" argument must be an instance of Buffer or ' +
+             'Uint8Array. Received undefined'
   });
 
 assert.throws(() => Buffer.from(), {
   name: 'TypeError',
-  message: 'The first argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-  'ArrayBuffer, Array, or Array-like Object. Received type undefined'
+  message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+  'Buffer, ArrayBuffer, or Array or an Array-like Object. Received undefined'
 });
 assert.throws(() => Buffer.from(null), {
   name: 'TypeError',
-  message: 'The first argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-  'ArrayBuffer, Array, or Array-like Object. Received type object'
+  message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+  'Buffer, ArrayBuffer, or Array or an Array-like Object. Received null'
 });
 
 // Test prototype getters don't throw
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-arraybuffer.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-arraybuffer.js
index 699d13e9552a91..bb22b879932571 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-arraybuffer.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-arraybuffer.js
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ assert.throws(function() {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   name: 'TypeError',
-  message: 'The first argument must be one of type string, Buffer,' +
-  ' ArrayBuffer, Array, or Array-like Object. Received type object'
+  message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+           'Buffer, ArrayBuffer, or Array or an Array-like Object. Received ' +
+           'an instance of AB'
 });
 
 // Test the byteOffset and length arguments
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-bytelength.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-bytelength.js
index c0c7228d0d0b45..369e8cb191616e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-bytelength.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-bytelength.js
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ const vm = require('vm');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "string" argument must be one of type string, ' +
-               `Buffer, or ArrayBuffer. Received type ${typeof args[0]}`
+      message: 'The "string" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+               'of Buffer or ArrayBuffer.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(args[0])
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare-offset.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare-offset.js
index 3769e4d41ac27e..df3b429a03c4df 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare-offset.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare-offset.js
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ assert.throws(() => a.compare(b, -Infinity, Infinity), oor);
 common.expectsError(() => a.compare(), {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "target" argument must be one of ' +
-           'type Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type undefined'
+  message: 'The "target" argument must be an instance of ' +
+           'Buffer or Uint8Array. Received undefined'
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare.js
index e2bd1380d2ce15..b790e461bcfa63 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-compare.js
@@ -30,18 +30,18 @@ assert.strictEqual(Buffer.compare(Buffer.alloc(1), Buffer.alloc(0)), 1);
 
 assert.throws(() => Buffer.compare(Buffer.alloc(1), 'abc'), {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-  message: 'The "buf2" argument must be one of type Buffer or Uint8Array. ' +
-           'Received type string'
+  message: 'The "buf2" argument must be an instance of Buffer or Uint8Array. ' +
+           "Received type string ('abc')"
 });
 assert.throws(() => Buffer.compare('abc', Buffer.alloc(1)), {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-  message: 'The "buf1" argument must be one of type Buffer or Uint8Array. ' +
-           'Received type string'
+  message: 'The "buf1" argument must be an instance of Buffer or Uint8Array. ' +
+           "Received type string ('abc')"
 });
 
 common.expectsError(() => Buffer.alloc(1).compare('abc'), {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "target" argument must be one of ' +
-           'type Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type string'
+  message: 'The "target" argument must be an instance of ' +
+           "Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type string ('abc')"
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-concat.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-concat.js
index 6be3a39fa00a26..2e7541fb58b063 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-concat.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-concat.js
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ assert.strictEqual(flatLongLen.toString(), check);
     Buffer.concat(value);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "list" argument must be of type Array. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof value}`
+    message: 'The "list" argument must be an instance of Array.' +
+             `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)}`
   });
 });
 
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ assert.strictEqual(flatLongLen.toString(), check);
     Buffer.concat(value);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "list[0]" argument must be one of type Buffer ' +
-             `or Uint8Array. Received type ${typeof value[0]}`
+    message: 'The "list[0]" argument must be an instance of Buffer ' +
+             `or Uint8Array.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value[0])}`
   });
 });
 
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ assert.throws(() => {
   Buffer.concat([Buffer.from('hello'), 3]);
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-  message: 'The "list[1]" argument must be one of type Buffer ' +
-           'or Uint8Array. Received type number'
+  message: 'The "list[1]" argument must be an instance of Buffer ' +
+           'or Uint8Array. Received type number (3)'
 });
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line node-core/crypto-check
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-equals.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-equals.js
index 91c79a5be8b169..055fe56de26f08 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-equals.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-equals.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "otherBuffer" argument must be one of type ' +
-    'Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "otherBuffer" argument must be an instance of ' +
+             "Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type string ('abc')"
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-fill.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-fill.js
index 26243d7f199f12..aa5c701b543c98 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-fill.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-fill.js
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       message: 'The "encoding" argument must be of type ' +
-      `string. Received type ${args[3] === null ? 'null' : typeof args[3]}`
+      `string.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(args[3])}`
     }
   );
 });
@@ -342,7 +342,8 @@ assert.strictEqual(
     Buffer.alloc(1).fill(Buffer.alloc(1), 0, end);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "end" argument must be of type number. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "end" argument must be of type number. Received an ' +
+             'instance of Object'
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-from.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-from.js
index ec798381696e71..165b38893f9e99 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-from.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-from.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 const { deepStrictEqual, throws } = require('assert');
 const { runInNewContext } = require('vm');
 
@@ -35,26 +35,26 @@ deepStrictEqual(
 );
 
 [
-  [{}, 'object'],
-  [new Boolean(true), 'boolean'],
-  [{ valueOf() { return null; } }, 'object'],
-  [{ valueOf() { return undefined; } }, 'object'],
-  [{ valueOf: null }, 'object'],
-  [Object.create(null), 'object'],
-  [new Number(true), 'number'],
-  [new MyBadPrimitive(), 'number'],
-  [Symbol(), 'symbol'],
-  [5n, 'bigint'],
-  [(one, two, three) => {}, 'function'],
-  [undefined, 'undefined'],
-  [null, 'object']
-].forEach(([input, actualType]) => {
+  {},
+  new Boolean(true),
+  { valueOf() { return null; } },
+  { valueOf() { return undefined; } },
+  { valueOf: null },
+  Object.create(null),
+  new Number(true),
+  new MyBadPrimitive(),
+  Symbol(),
+  5n,
+  (one, two, three) => {},
+  undefined,
+  null
+].forEach((input) => {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The first argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             'ArrayBuffer, Array, or Array-like Object. Received ' +
-             `type ${actualType}`
+    message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer, ArrayBuffer, or Array or an Array-like Object.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
   };
   throws(() => Buffer.from(input), errObj);
   throws(() => Buffer.from(input, 'hex'), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-includes.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-includes.js
index 794822f13ac873..8e5ec8e926cbb9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-includes.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-includes.js
@@ -282,8 +282,9 @@ for (let lengthIndex = 0; lengthIndex < lengths.length; lengthIndex++) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "value" argument must be one of type number, string, ' +
-               `Buffer, or Uint8Array. Received type ${typeof val}`
+      message: 'The "value" argument must be one of type number or string ' +
+               'or an instance of Buffer or Uint8Array.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-indexof.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-indexof.js
index 3059e13780e5bd..4eb42ca5bff8fa 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-indexof.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-indexof.js
@@ -357,8 +357,9 @@ assert.strictEqual(Buffer.from('aaaaa').indexOf('b', 'ucs2'), -1);
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "value" argument must be one of type number, string, ' +
-               `Buffer, or Uint8Array. Received type ${typeof val}`
+      message: 'The "value" argument must be one of type number or string ' +
+               'or an instance of Buffer or Uint8Array.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-buffer-new.js b/test/parallel/test-buffer-new.js
index 31b29dee5b0815..45806359ad6cb4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-buffer-new.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-buffer-new.js
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@ const common = require('../common');
 common.expectsError(() => new Buffer(42, 'utf8'), {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "string" argument must be of type string. Received type number'
+  message: 'The "string" argument must be of type string. Received type ' +
+           'number (42)'
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-constructor.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-constructor.js
index 9c9ed2d0e84900..9c5b09171c66dd 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-constructor.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-constructor.js
@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const { ChildProcess } = require('child_process');
 assert.strictEqual(typeof ChildProcess, 'function');
 
-function typeName(value) {
-  return typeof value;
-}
-
 {
   // Verify that invalid options to spawn() throw.
   const child = new ChildProcess();
@@ -19,8 +15,8 @@ function typeName(value) {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeName(options)}`
+      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+               `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(options)}`
     });
   });
 }
@@ -35,8 +31,8 @@ function typeName(value) {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options.file" property must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeName(file)}`
+      message: 'The "options.file" property must be of type string.' +
+               `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(file)}`
     });
   });
 }
@@ -51,8 +47,8 @@ function typeName(value) {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options.envPairs" property must be of type Array. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeName(envPairs)}`
+      message: 'The "options.envPairs" property must be an instance of Array.' +
+              common.invalidArgTypeHelper(envPairs)
     });
   });
 }
@@ -67,8 +63,8 @@ function typeName(value) {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options.args" property must be of type Array. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeName(args)}`
+      message: 'The "options.args" property must be an instance of Array.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(args)
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork.js
index 44d22ab2115e91..a771f84e681fd9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-fork.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ assert.throws(() => n.send(), {
 assert.throws(() => n.send(Symbol()), {
   name: 'TypeError',
   message: 'The "message" argument must be one of type string,' +
-           ' object, number, or boolean. Received type symbol',
+           ' object, number, or boolean. Received type symbol (Symbol())',
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE'
 });
 n.send({ hello: 'world' });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-console-instance.js b/test/parallel/test-console-instance.js
index 1c8b54ef4ca725..0356690a4d348f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-console-instance.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-console-instance.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ out.write = err.write = (d) => {};
     },
     {
       message: 'The "inspectOptions" argument must be of type object.' +
-               ` Received type ${typeof inspectOptions}`,
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(inspectOptions),
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE'
     }
   );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-certificate.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-certificate.js
index e987be212958a7..8d3219059d039e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-certificate.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-certificate.js
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ assert(Certificate() instanceof Certificate);
     () => Certificate.verifySpkac(val),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "spkac" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-               `or DataView. Received type ${typeof val}`
+      message: 'The "spkac" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+               `TypedArray, or DataView.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)}`
     }
   );
 });
@@ -84,8 +84,9 @@ assert(Certificate() instanceof Certificate);
 [1, {}, [], Infinity, true, undefined, null].forEach((val) => {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "spkac" argument must be one of type string, Buffer,' +
-             ` TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${typeof val}`
+    message: 'The "spkac" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   };
   assert.throws(() => Certificate.exportPublicKey(val), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => Certificate.exportChallenge(val), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipher-decipher.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipher-decipher.js
index ce6ea4e3b81ea4..45e4bd6ea72f49 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipher-decipher.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipher-decipher.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "cipher" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               'Received type object'
+               'Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "password" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "password" argument must be of type string or an instance' +
+               ' of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "data" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "data" argument must be of type string or an instance' +
+               ' of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be an instance' +
+               ' of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received null'
     });
 }
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "cipher" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               'Received type object'
+               'Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ testCipher2(Buffer.from('0123456789abcdef'));
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "password" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "password" argument must be of type string or an ' +
+               'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received null'
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipheriv-decipheriv.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipheriv-decipheriv.js
index d9cc725da1d393..d4eda6bb1fca6a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipheriv-decipheriv.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-cipheriv-decipheriv.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "cipher" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               'Received type object'
+               'Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-               'DataView, string, or KeyObject. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+               'Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject. Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "iv" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number'
+      message: 'The "iv" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+               'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number (10)'
     });
 }
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "cipher" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               'Received type object'
+               'Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-               'DataView, string, or KeyObject. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+               'Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject. Received null'
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ function testCipher3(key, iv) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "iv" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number'
+      message: 'The "iv" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+               'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number (10)'
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-dh.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-dh.js
index bf991a5c34ea86..027b58b8262b2f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-dh.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-dh.js
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ assert.strictEqual(dh2.verifyError, 0);
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "sizeOrKey" argument must be one of type number, string, ' +
-               `Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${typeof input}`
+      message: 'The "sizeOrKey" argument must be one of type number or string' +
+               ' or an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -381,7 +382,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "curve" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+             'Received undefined'
   });
 
 assert.throws(
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-engine.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-engine.js
index ca76672de8dc95..e3ac270fef1abe 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-engine.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-engine.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "id" argument must be of type string. Received type boolean'
+    message: 'The "id" argument must be of type string. Received type boolean' +
+             ' (true)'
   });
 
 common.expectsError(
@@ -20,7 +21,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "flags" argument must be of type number. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "flags" argument must be of type number. Received type' +
+             " string ('notANumber')"
   });
 
 common.expectsError(
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-hash.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-hash.js
index a0c3ffeb20ca9a..0ccc300aa25778 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-hash.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-hash.js
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "data" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-      'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "data" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+      'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received undefined'
   });
 
 // Default UTF-8 encoding
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "algorithm" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+             'Received undefined'
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-hmac.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-hmac.js
index 2601994ab1a433..dd7b5631042d31 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-hmac.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-hmac.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "hmac" argument must be of type string. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "hmac" argument must be of type string. Received null'
   });
 
 // This used to segfault. See: https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/9819
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-             'DataView, string, or KeyObject. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject. Received null'
   });
 
 function testHmac(algo, key, data, expected) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-key-objects.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-key-objects.js
index dc995be041ed48..c8303431fb3051 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-key-objects.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-key-objects.js
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ const privateDsa = fixtures.readKey('dsa_private_encrypted_1025.pem',
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     message:
-      'The "handle" argument must be of type object. Received type string'
+      'The "handle" argument must be of type object. Received type ' +
+      "string ('')"
   });
 }
 
@@ -102,8 +103,9 @@ const privateDsa = fixtures.readKey('dsa_private_encrypted_1025.pem',
   common.expectsError(() => createPrivateKey(createPublicKey(privatePem)), {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received an instance of ' +
+             'PublicKeyObject'
   });
 
   // Similarly, passing an existing private key object to createPrivateKey
@@ -112,8 +114,9 @@ const privateDsa = fixtures.readKey('dsa_private_encrypted_1025.pem',
   common.expectsError(() => createPrivateKey(privateKey), {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received an instance of ' +
+             'PrivateKeyObject'
   });
 }
 
@@ -139,8 +142,7 @@ const privateDsa = fixtures.readKey('dsa_private_encrypted_1025.pem',
     common.expectsError(() => publicKey.export(opt), {
       type: TypeError,
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. Received type ' +
-               typeof opt
+      message: /^The "options" argument must be of type object/
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-keygen.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-keygen.js
index 8c3432e06cb647..605a3742052b34 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-keygen.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-keygen.js
@@ -598,8 +598,8 @@ const sec1EncExp = (cipher) => getRegExpForPEM('EC PRIVATE KEY', cipher);
     common.expectsError(() => generateKeyPairSync(type, {}), {
       type: TypeError,
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "type" argument must be of type string. Received type ' +
-               typeof type
+      message: 'The "type" argument must be of type string.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(type)
     });
   }
 
@@ -615,8 +615,8 @@ const sec1EncExp = (cipher) => getRegExpForPEM('EC PRIVATE KEY', cipher);
   common.expectsError(() => generateKeyPair('rsa', common.mustNotCall()), {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of ' +
-      'type object. Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+      'Received undefined'
   });
 
   // Even if no options are required, it should be impossible to pass anything
@@ -624,8 +624,8 @@ const sec1EncExp = (cipher) => getRegExpForPEM('EC PRIVATE KEY', cipher);
   common.expectsError(() => generateKeyPair('ed448', 0, common.mustNotCall()), {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of ' +
-      'type object. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+      'Received type number (0)'
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-pbkdf2.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-pbkdf2.js
index 1d4e6f6617f074..5ab37aceb6505a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-pbkdf2.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-pbkdf2.js
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ assert.throws(
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "keylen" argument must be of type number. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof notNumber}`
+      message: 'The "keylen" argument must be of type number.' +
+               `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(notNumber)}`
     });
 });
 
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "digest" argument must be one of type string or null. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "digest" argument must be of type string or null. ' +
+             'Received undefined'
   });
 
 assert.throws(
@@ -134,19 +134,19 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "digest" argument must be one of type string or null. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "digest" argument must be of type string or null. ' +
+             'Received undefined'
   });
 
 [1, {}, [], true, undefined, null].forEach((input) => {
-  const msgPart2 = 'Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
-                   ` Received type ${typeof input}`;
+  const msgPart2 = 'an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+                   common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
   assert.throws(
     () => crypto.pbkdf2(input, 'salt', 8, 8, 'sha256', common.mustNotCall()),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "password" argument must be one of type string, ${msgPart2}`
+      message: `The "password" argument must be of type string or ${msgPart2}`
     }
   );
 
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "salt" argument must be one of type string, ${msgPart2}`
+      message: `The "salt" argument must be of type string or ${msgPart2}`
     }
   );
 
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "password" argument must be one of type string, ${msgPart2}`
+      message: `The "password" argument must be of type string or ${msgPart2}`
     }
   );
 
@@ -173,19 +173,19 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "salt" argument must be one of type string, ${msgPart2}`
+      message: `The "salt" argument must be of type string or ${msgPart2}`
     }
   );
 });
 
 ['test', {}, [], true, undefined, null].forEach((i) => {
-  const received = `Received type ${typeof i}`;
+  const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(i);
   assert.throws(
     () => crypto.pbkdf2('pass', 'salt', i, 8, 'sha256', common.mustNotCall()),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "iterations" argument must be of type number. ${received}`
+      message: `The "iterations" argument must be of type number.${received}`
     }
   );
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "iterations" argument must be of type number. ${received}`
+      message: `The "iterations" argument must be of type number.${received}`
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-random.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-random.js
index 1d40c8b1814d49..4650b3c8bd356f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-random.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-random.js
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ common.expectWarning('DeprecationWarning',
       const errObj = {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "size" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                `Received type ${typeof value}`
+        message: 'The "size" argument must be of type number.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
       };
       assert.throws(() => f(value), errObj);
       assert.throws(() => f(value, common.mustNotCall()), errObj);
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ common.expectWarning('DeprecationWarning',
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
       message: 'The "offset" argument must be of type number. ' +
-               'Received type string'
+               "Received type string ('test')"
     };
 
     assert.throws(() => crypto.randomFillSync(buf, 'test'), typeErrObj);
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@ common.expectWarning('DeprecationWarning',
       () => crypto.randomFill(buf, 'test', common.mustNotCall()),
       typeErrObj);
 
-    typeErrObj.message = 'The "size" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                     'Received type string';
+    typeErrObj.message = typeErrObj.message.replace('offset', 'size');
     assert.throws(() => crypto.randomFillSync(buf, 0, 'test'), typeErrObj);
 
     assert.throws(
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-sign-verify.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-sign-verify.js
index a16d25f540e1a8..d98317a3547052 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto-sign-verify.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-sign-verify.js
@@ -364,18 +364,18 @@ common.expectsError(
   const verify = crypto.createVerify('SHA1');
 
   [1, [], {}, undefined, null, true, Infinity].forEach((input) => {
-    const type = typeof input;
     const errObj = {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "algorithm" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${type}`
+      message: 'The "algorithm" argument must be of type string.' +
+               `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)}`
     };
     assert.throws(() => crypto.createSign(input), errObj);
     assert.throws(() => crypto.createVerify(input), errObj);
 
-    errObj.message = 'The "data" argument must be one of type string, ' +
-                     `Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`;
+    errObj.message = 'The "data" argument must be of type string or an ' +
+                     'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+                     common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
     assert.throws(() => sign.update(input), errObj);
     assert.throws(() => verify.update(input), errObj);
     assert.throws(() => sign._write(input, 'utf8', () => {}), errObj);
@@ -391,19 +391,20 @@ common.expectsError(
   });
 
   [1, {}, [], Infinity].forEach((input) => {
-    const type = typeof input;
     const errObj = {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "key" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               `TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject. Received type ${type}`
+      message: 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+               'Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     };
 
     assert.throws(() => sign.sign(input), errObj);
     assert.throws(() => verify.verify(input), errObj);
 
-    errObj.message = 'The "signature" argument must be one of type string, ' +
-                     `Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`;
+    errObj.message = 'The "signature" argument must be of type string or an ' +
+                     'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+                     common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
     assert.throws(() => verify.verify('test', input), errObj);
   });
 }
@@ -477,25 +478,25 @@ common.expectsError(
 [1, {}, [], true, Infinity].forEach((input) => {
   const data = Buffer.alloc(1);
   const sig = Buffer.alloc(1);
-  const type = typeof input;
+  const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "data" argument must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-             `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "data" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+             `TypedArray, or DataView.${received}`
   };
 
   assert.throws(() => crypto.sign(null, input, 'asdf'), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => crypto.verify(null, input, 'asdf', sig), errObj);
 
-  errObj.message = 'The "key" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-                   `TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject. Received type ${type}`;
+  errObj.message = 'The "key" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+                   `of Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or KeyObject.${received}`;
 
   assert.throws(() => crypto.sign(null, data, input), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => crypto.verify(null, data, input, sig), errObj);
 
-  errObj.message = 'The "signature" argument must be one of type ' +
-                   `Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`;
+  errObj.message = 'The "signature" argument must be an instance of ' +
+                   `Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.${received}`;
   assert.throws(() => crypto.verify(null, data, 'test', input), errObj);
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-custom-lookup.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-custom-lookup.js
index ae623283644606..b6dc52bd0b7f78 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-custom-lookup.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-custom-lookup.js
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ const dns = require('dns');
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "lookup" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value}`
+      message: 'The "lookup" argument must be of type function.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-multicast-setTTL.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-multicast-setTTL.js
index 2e3aad63fe3012..805b7e344b77b9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-multicast-setTTL.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-multicast-setTTL.js
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ socket.on('listening', common.mustCall(() => {
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "ttl" argument must be of type number. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "ttl" argument must be of type number. Received type string' +
+             " ('foo')"
   });
 
   // Close the socket
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-address-types.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-address-types.js
index 7f4bcf53eb5b04..d64558bac4424e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-address-types.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-address-types.js
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ const client = dgram.createSocket('udp4').bind(0, () => {
     const expectedError = {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "address" argument must be one of type string or falsy. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof invalidInput}`
+      message: 'The "address" argument must be of type string or falsy.' +
+               `${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(invalidInput)}`
     };
     assert.throws(() => client.send(buf, port, invalidInput), expectedError);
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-bad-arguments.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-bad-arguments.js
index f8f2a2de1368d5..644ffb3327ba05 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-bad-arguments.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-send-bad-arguments.js
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ function checkArgs(connected) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type ' +
-      'Buffer, Uint8Array, or string. Received type undefined'
+      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+      'of Buffer or Uint8Array. Received undefined'
     }
   );
 
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ function checkArgs(connected) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type ' +
-      'Buffer, Uint8Array, or string. Received type number'
+      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+      'of Buffer or Uint8Array. Received type number (23)'
     }
   );
 
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ function checkArgs(connected) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer list arguments" argument must be one of type ' +
-      'Buffer or string. Received type object'
+      message: 'The "buffer list arguments" argument must be of type string ' +
+      'or an instance of Buffer. Received an instance of Array'
     }
   );
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-sendto.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-sendto.js
index 6eea4894b1c1e3..967a22383fabd8 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-sendto.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-sendto.js
@@ -7,31 +7,31 @@ const socket = dgram.createSocket('udp4');
 const errObj = {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   name: 'TypeError',
-  message: 'The "offset" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
+  message: 'The "offset" argument must be of type number. Received ' +
            'undefined'
 };
 assert.throws(() => socket.sendto(), errObj);
 
 errObj.message = 'The "length" argument must be of type number. Received ' +
-                 'type string';
+                 "type string ('offset')";
 assert.throws(
   () => socket.sendto('buffer', 1, 'offset', 'port', 'address', 'cb'),
   errObj);
 
 errObj.message = 'The "offset" argument must be of type number. Received ' +
-                 'type string';
+                 "type string ('offset')";
 assert.throws(
   () => socket.sendto('buffer', 'offset', 1, 'port', 'address', 'cb'),
   errObj);
 
 errObj.message = 'The "address" argument must be of type string. Received ' +
-                 'type boolean';
+                 'type boolean (false)';
 assert.throws(
   () => socket.sendto('buffer', 1, 1, 10, false, 'cb'),
   errObj);
 
 errObj.message = 'The "port" argument must be of type number. Received ' +
-                 'type boolean';
+                 'type boolean (false)';
 assert.throws(
   () => socket.sendto('buffer', 1, 1, false, 'address', 'cb'),
   errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dgram-setTTL.js b/test/parallel/test-dgram-setTTL.js
index c6e8cb3c66923c..36af63de10134a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dgram-setTTL.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dgram-setTTL.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ socket.on('listening', common.mustCall(() => {
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "ttl" argument must be of type number. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "ttl" argument must be of type number. Received type string' +
+             " ('foo')"
   });
 
   // TTL must be a number from > 0 to < 256
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dns-setservers-type-check.js b/test/parallel/test-dns-setservers-type-check.js
index bdf52a32e0fa8a..9f09ee4ebf6519 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dns-setservers-type-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dns-setservers-type-check.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 const { addresses } = require('../common/internet');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const dns = require('dns');
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ const promiseResolver = new dns.promises.Resolver();
     const errObj = {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "servers" argument must be of type Array. Received type ' +
-      typeof val
+      message: 'The "servers" argument must be an instance of Array.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     };
     assert.throws(
       () => {
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ const promiseResolver = new dns.promises.Resolver();
     const errObj = {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "servers[0]" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof val[0]}`
+      message: 'The "servers[0]" argument must be of type string.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val[0])
     };
     assert.throws(
       () => {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dns.js b/test/parallel/test-dns.js
index e854574a2eaba5..d9143f52d33e77 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dns.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dns.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ assert.deepStrictEqual(dns.getServers(), []);
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "rrtype" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             'Received type object'
+             'Received an instance of Array'
   };
   common.expectsError(() => {
     dns.resolve('example.com', [], common.mustNotCall());
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ assert.deepStrictEqual(dns.getServers(), []);
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+             'Received undefined'
   };
   common.expectsError(() => {
     dnsPromises.resolve();
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ assert.deepStrictEqual(dns.getServers(), []);
   const errorReg = common.expectsError({
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: /^The "hostname" argument must be of type string\. Received type .*/
+    message: /^The "hostname" argument must be of type string\. Received .*/
   }, 10);
 
   assert.throws(() => dns.lookup({}, common.mustNotCall()), errorReg);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
index 7812de670ff5fb..d7ebf424380c4b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-add-listeners.js
@@ -92,6 +92,6 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-           'Received type object'
+  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type function. ' +
+           'Received null'
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
index 1bdf0cbf126aaf..5b74185b12c453 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-once.js
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-           'Received type object'
+  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type function. ' +
+           'Received null'
 });
 
 {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-prepend.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-prepend.js
index c5cf009259d722..21f381af85fa1d 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-prepend.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-prepend.js
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-           'Received type object'
+  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type function. ' +
+           'Received null'
 });
 
 // Test fallback if prependListener is undefined.
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
index 8b9d6215601e9d..97ae403ddd25b0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-event-emitter-remove-listeners.js
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-           'Received type object'
+  message: 'The "listener" argument must be of type function. ' +
+           'Received null'
 });
 
 {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-buffer.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-buffer.js
index 1e898d3891339a..bad5adea448f0b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-buffer.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-buffer.js
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "path" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, or URL.' +
-             ' Received type boolean'
+    message: 'The "path" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer or URL. Received type boolean (true)'
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-chmod.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-chmod.js
index cc8caf86fd3c22..8314c6f73daaf0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-chmod.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-chmod.js
@@ -151,8 +151,9 @@ if (fs.lchmod) {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "path" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, or URL.' +
-             ` Received type ${typeof input}`
+    message: 'The "path" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+             'of Buffer or URL.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
   };
   assert.throws(() => fs.chmod(input, 1, common.mustNotCall()), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.chmodSync(input, 1), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-close-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-close-errors.js
index 6168d5c20ab8e5..52930a203eddbb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-close-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-close-errors.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 // This tests that the errors thrown from fs.close and fs.closeSync
 // include the desired properties
 
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ const fs = require('fs');
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof input}`
+    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
   };
   assert.throws(() => fs.close(input), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.closeSync(input), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-fchmod.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-fchmod.js
index ebbc2792e137e6..a6d5c0c95dac1b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-fchmod.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-fchmod.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const util = require('util');
 const fs = require('fs');
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ const fs = require('fs');
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
-             typeof input
+    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
   };
   assert.throws(() => fs.fchmod(input), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.fchmodSync(input), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-fchown.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-fchown.js
index 4872e550dba37f..cf28d54e9d9679 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-fchown.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-fchown.js
@@ -23,13 +23,10 @@ function testGid(input, errObj) {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
-             typeof input
+    message: /fd|uid|gid/
   };
   testFd(input, errObj);
-  errObj.message = errObj.message.replace('fd', 'uid');
   testUid(input, errObj);
-  errObj.message = errObj.message.replace('uid', 'gid');
   testGid(input, errObj);
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-fsync.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-fsync.js
index 28a513d10f2d29..70027e33ed9e0a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-fsync.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-fsync.js
@@ -54,9 +54,7 @@ fs.open(fileTemp, 'a', 0o777, common.mustCall(function(err, fd) {
 ['', false, null, undefined, {}, []].forEach((input) => {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
-             typeof input
+    name: 'TypeError'
   };
   assert.throws(() => fs.fdatasync(input), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.fdatasyncSync(input), errObj);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-mkdir.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-mkdir.js
index 2cd42f65669e90..5e9a2bd75ea2a3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-mkdir.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-mkdir.js
@@ -217,13 +217,14 @@ if (common.isMainThread && (common.isLinux || common.isOSX)) {
 {
   const pathname = path.join(tmpdir.path, nextdir());
   ['', 1, {}, [], null, Symbol('test'), () => {}].forEach((recursive) => {
+    const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(recursive);
     common.expectsError(
       () => fs.mkdir(pathname, { recursive }, common.mustNotCall()),
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "recursive" argument must be of type boolean. Received ' +
-          `type ${typeof recursive}`
+        message: 'The "recursive" argument must be of type boolean.' +
+          received
       }
     );
     common.expectsError(
@@ -231,8 +232,8 @@ if (common.isMainThread && (common.isLinux || common.isOSX)) {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "recursive" argument must be of type boolean. Received ' +
-          `type ${typeof recursive}`
+        message: 'The "recursive" argument must be of type boolean.' +
+          received
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-promises.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-promises.js
index 3c7903c98f04d2..a5ced6970597b0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-promises.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-promises.js
@@ -363,9 +363,7 @@ async function getHandle(dest) {
           async () => mkdir(dir, { recursive }),
           {
             code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-            name: 'TypeError',
-            message: 'The "recursive" argument must be of type boolean. ' +
-              `Received type ${typeof recursive}`
+            name: 'TypeError'
           }
         );
       });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-read-type.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-read-type.js
index f5ac78a23026fd..dbe036794ceb56 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-read-type.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-read-type.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-             'or DataView. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "buffer" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+             'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number (4)'
   }
 );
 
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ assert.throws(
             common.mustNotCall());
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof value}`
+    name: 'TypeError'
   });
 });
 
@@ -84,8 +82,8 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, ' +
-             'or DataView. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "buffer" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+             'TypedArray, or DataView. Received type number (4)'
   }
 );
 
@@ -98,9 +96,7 @@ assert.throws(
                 0);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof value}`
+    name: 'TypeError'
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-read.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-read.js
index e6fe6231ffd9ec..03ddf7f36d1f98 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-read.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-read.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ assert.throws(
 assert.throws(
   () => fs.read(null, Buffer.alloc(1), 0, 1, 0),
   {
-    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. Received type object',
+    message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. Received null',
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-readfile-error.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-readfile-error.js
index 3b245058ff6f38..4f0aaf888db793 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-readfile-error.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-readfile-error.js
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   () => { fs.readFile(() => {}, common.mustNotCall()); },
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "path" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, or URL.' +
-             ' Received type function',
+    message: 'The "path" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer or URL. Received type function ([Function (anonymous)])',
     type: TypeError
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rename-type-check.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rename-type-check.js
index bc1277740fd514..09004dcb623b6c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-rename-type-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rename-type-check.js
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
 [false, 1, [], {}, null, undefined].forEach((input) => {
-  const type = `of type string, Buffer, or URL. Received type ${typeof input}`;
+  const type = 'of type string or an instance of Buffer or URL.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
   assert.throws(
     () => fs.rename(input, 'does-not-exist', common.mustNotCall()),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "oldPath" argument must be one ${type}`
+      message: `The "oldPath" argument must be ${type}`
     }
   );
   assert.throws(
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "newPath" argument must be one ${type}`
+      message: `The "newPath" argument must be ${type}`
     }
   );
   assert.throws(
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "oldPath" argument must be one ${type}`
+      message: `The "oldPath" argument must be ${type}`
     }
   );
   assert.throws(
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: `The "newPath" argument must be one ${type}`
+      message: `The "newPath" argument must be ${type}`
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
index bde3e06765cbb8..32acf65b7b96a3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-stat.js
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ fs.stat(__filename, common.mustCall(function(err, s) {
       () => fs[fnName](input),
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-        name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        name: 'TypeError'
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-symlink.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-symlink.js
index c52ffbc105ffae..d1784fdd3a07f4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-symlink.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-symlink.js
@@ -74,13 +74,11 @@ fs.symlink(linkData, linkPath, common.mustCall(function(err) {
   const errObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "target" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, or ' +
-             `URL. Received type ${typeof input}`
+    message: /target|path/
   };
   assert.throws(() => fs.symlink(input, '', common.mustNotCall()), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.symlinkSync(input, ''), errObj);
 
-  errObj.message = errObj.message.replace('target', 'path');
   assert.throws(() => fs.symlink('', input, common.mustNotCall()), errObj);
   assert.throws(() => fs.symlinkSync('', input), errObj);
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-truncate.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-truncate.js
index 044ff622bdb129..c41f31376f2adb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-truncate.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-truncate.js
@@ -179,13 +179,13 @@ function testFtruncate(cb) {
   process.on('beforeExit', () => fs.closeSync(fd));
 
   ['', false, null, {}, []].forEach((input) => {
+    const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
     assert.throws(
       () => fs.truncate(file5, input, common.mustNotCall()),
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "len" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: `The "len" argument must be of type number.${received}`
       }
     );
 
@@ -194,8 +194,7 @@ function testFtruncate(cb) {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "len" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: `The "len" argument must be of type number.${received}`
       }
     );
   });
@@ -268,8 +267,8 @@ function testFtruncate(cb) {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "len" argument must be of type number. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof input}`
+      message: 'The "len" argument must be of type number.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -281,8 +280,8 @@ function testFtruncate(cb) {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-watch.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch.js
index fb674bbfeab4c5..ea24f406cc0672 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-watch.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch.js
@@ -89,9 +89,7 @@ for (const testCase of cases) {
     () => fs.watch(input, common.mustNotCall()),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "filename" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               `or URL. Received type ${typeof input}`
+      type: TypeError
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-client-check-http-token.js b/test/parallel/test-http-client-check-http-token.js
index 828d7fa79a503c..5a5ec2fb95f148 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-client-check-http-token.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-client-check-http-token.js
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(() => {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "method" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof method}`
+      message: 'The "method" argument must be of type string.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(method)
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-client-reject-unexpected-agent.js b/test/parallel/test-http-client-reject-unexpected-agent.js
index 27cb77951cf5fd..664fb493102229 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-client-reject-unexpected-agent.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-client-reject-unexpected-agent.js
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ server.listen(0, baseOptions.host, common.mustCall(function() {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "options.agent" property must be one of type Agent-like' +
-                 ` Object, undefined, or false. Received type ${typeof agent}`
+        message: 'The "options.agent" property must be one of Agent-like ' +
+                 'Object, undefined, or false.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(agent)
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-hostname-typechecking.js b/test/parallel/test-http-hostname-typechecking.js
index 72440391fa2938..6ec6b7d6271aa7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-hostname-typechecking.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-hostname-typechecking.js
@@ -8,14 +8,15 @@ const http = require('http');
 const vals = [{}, [], NaN, Infinity, -Infinity, true, false, 1, 0, new Date()];
 
 vals.forEach((v) => {
+  const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(v);
   common.expectsError(
     () => http.request({ hostname: v }),
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options.hostname" property must be one of ' +
-               'type string, undefined, or null. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof v}`
+      message: 'The "options.hostname" property must be of ' +
+               'type string or one of undefined or null.' +
+               received
     }
   );
 
@@ -24,9 +25,9 @@ vals.forEach((v) => {
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "options.host" property must be one of ' +
-               'type string, undefined, or null. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof v}`
+      message: 'The "options.host" property must be of ' +
+               'type string or one of undefined or null.' +
+               received
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js b/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
index 0ff05f234c2c5d..b4e4018e1d0bd4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-mutable-headers.js
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ const s = http.createServer(common.mustCall((req, res) => {
           code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
           type: TypeError,
           message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. ' +
-                   'Received type undefined'
+                   'Received undefined'
         }
       );
       common.expectsError(
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const s = http.createServer(common.mustCall((req, res) => {
           code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
           type: TypeError,
           message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. ' +
-                   'Received type undefined'
+                   'Received undefined'
         }
       );
 
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@ const s = http.createServer(common.mustCall((req, res) => {
           {
             code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
             type: TypeError,
-            message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. ' +
-                     `Received type ${typeof val}`
+            message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string.' +
+                     common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
           }
         );
       });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-outgoing-proto.js b/test/parallel/test-http-outgoing-proto.js
index 0070f5399470e0..0f428b9546bd80 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-outgoing-proto.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-outgoing-proto.js
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The first argument must be one of type string or Buffer. ' +
-           'Received type undefined'
+  message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+           'Buffer. Received undefined'
 });
 
 common.expectsError(() => {
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The first argument must be one of type string or Buffer. ' +
-           'Received type number'
+  message: 'The first argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+           'Buffer. Received type number (1)'
 });
 
 // addTrailers()
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-client-setNextStreamID-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-client-setNextStreamID-errors.js
index 203b552ef7f7f1..d13d685b3e508f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-client-setNextStreamID-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-client-setNextStreamID-errors.js
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(() => {
         {
           type: TypeError,
           code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-          message: 'The "id" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
-                   typeof value
+          message: 'The "id" argument must be of type number.' +
+                   common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
         }
       );
     });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverrequest-headers.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverrequest-headers.js
index 8b38ab147f3d25..06f37c8a47ce19 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverrequest-headers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverrequest-headers.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(function() {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
         message: 'The "method" argument must be of type string. ' +
-                 'Received type boolean'
+                 'Received type boolean (true)'
       }
     );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-headers.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-headers.js
index c47de48b6a2c88..82b81a3d3fbbb6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-headers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-headers.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(function() {
           code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
           name: 'TypeError',
           message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. Received ' +
-                   'type undefined'
+                   'undefined'
         }
       );
     });
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(function() {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. Received type ' +
+        message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. Received ' +
                  'undefined'
       }
     );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-trailers.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-trailers.js
index fe722c84ee782a..ca148ff0070026 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-trailers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-compat-serverresponse-trailers.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(() => {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. Received type ' +
+        message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. Received ' +
                  'undefined'
       }
     );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-createsecureserver-options.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-createsecureserver-options.js
index 84d75e23b334ec..269239fcf2874e 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-createsecureserver-options.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-createsecureserver-options.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ invalidOptions.forEach((invalidOption) => {
     {
       name: 'TypeError',
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. Received ' +
-               `type ${typeof invalidOption}`
+      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(invalidOption)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ invalidOptions.forEach((invalidSettingsOption) => {
     {
       name: 'TypeError',
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "options.settings" property must be of type Object. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof invalidSettingsOption}`
+      message: 'The "options.settings" property must be of type object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(invalidSettingsOption)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-createserver-options.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-createserver-options.js
index 6f3d4b56933169..8814e2db9e8828 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-createserver-options.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-createserver-options.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ invalidOptions.forEach((invalidOption) => {
     {
       name: 'TypeError',
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. Received ' +
-               `type ${typeof invalidOption}`
+      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(invalidOption)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ invalidOptions.forEach((invalidSettingsOption) => {
     {
       name: 'TypeError',
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: 'The "options.settings" property must be of type Object. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof invalidSettingsOption}`
+      message: 'The "options.settings" property must be of type object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(invalidSettingsOption)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-getpackedsettings.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-getpackedsettings.js
index 341cfb4fc799f2..8eca10cf49f4e3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-getpackedsettings.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-getpackedsettings.js
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ http2.getPackedSettings({ enablePush: false });
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message:
-        'The "buf" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
-        `DataView. Received type ${typeof input}`
+        'The "buf" argument must be an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
+        `DataView.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)}`
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-invalidargtypes-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-invalidargtypes-errors.js
index d7c451569e273d..b94a670a1a3c28 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-invalidargtypes-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-invalidargtypes-errors.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message: 'The "code" argument must be of type number. ' +
-               'Received type string'
+               "Received type string ('string')"
     }
   );
   stream.respond();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-misc-util.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-misc-util.js
index 14dc4a536617df..ec9c65ec088bb8 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-misc-util.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-misc-util.js
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "test" argument must be of type Object. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "test" argument must be of type object. Received ' +
+             "type string ('foo')"
   });
 
 common.expectsError(
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "test" argument must be of type Date. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "test" argument must be an instance of Date. Received type ' +
+             "string ('foo')"
   });
 
 assertIsObject({}, 'test');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-ping.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-ping.js
index 993867bb21c6f2..27bfd19c6f08df 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-ping.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-ping.js
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ server.listen(0, common.mustCall(() => {
           {
             type: TypeError,
             code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-            message: 'The "payload" argument must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-                     `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${typeof payload}`
+            message: 'The "payload" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+                     'TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+                     common.invalidArgTypeHelper(payload)
           }
         )
       );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd-errors.js
index 5de21e7855eac1..06e5f6161dbd70 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd-errors.js
@@ -42,9 +42,8 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
       {
         type: TypeError,
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-        message: 'The "fd" argument must be one of type number or FileHandle.' +
-                 ' Received type ' +
-                 typeof types[type]
+        message: 'The "fd" argument must be of type number or an instance of' +
+                 ` FileHandle.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(types[type])}`
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-server-shutdown-options-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-server-shutdown-options-errors.js
index 9dde6660ea25ce..0109a147aaa81f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-server-shutdown-options-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-server-shutdown-options-errors.js
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
   const session = stream.session;
 
   types.forEach((input) => {
+    const received = common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input);
     common.expectsError(
       () => session.goaway(input),
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "code" argument must be of type number. Received type ' +
-                 typeof input
+        message: 'The "code" argument must be of type number.' +
+                 received
       }
     );
     common.expectsError(
@@ -33,8 +34,8 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "lastStreamID" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: 'The "lastStreamID" argument must be of type number.' +
+                 received
       }
     );
     common.expectsError(
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "opaqueData" argument must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-                 `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: 'The "opaqueData" argument must be an instance of Buffer, ' +
+                 `TypedArray, or DataView.${received}`
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-timeouts.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-timeouts.js
index 323e6bdd24e48a..be41f2020250d6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-timeouts.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-timeouts.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ server.on('stream', common.mustCall((stream) => {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message:
-        'The "msecs" argument must be of type number. Received type string'
+        'The "msecs" argument must be of type number. Received type string' +
+        " ('100')"
     }
   );
   common.expectsError(
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-util-asserts.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-util-asserts.js
index 136c76cc049cdd..e80f7128378ece 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-util-asserts.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-util-asserts.js
@@ -26,12 +26,13 @@ const {
   [],
   [{}]
 ].forEach((input) => {
-  common.expectsError(() => assertIsObject(input, 'foo', 'Object'),
-                      {
-                        code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-                        message: 'The "foo" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-                                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
-                      });
+  common.expectsError(
+    () => assertIsObject(input, 'foo', 'Object'),
+    {
+      code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
+      message: 'The "foo" argument must be of type object.' +
+                common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
+    });
 });
 
 assertWithinRange('foo', 1, 0, 2);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-options-boolean-check.js b/test/parallel/test-https-options-boolean-check.js
index 295082e1cee109..65a17f9f7605b0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-options-boolean-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-options-boolean-check.js
@@ -75,21 +75,22 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [true, certDataView],
   [true, false],
   [true, false],
-  [{ pem: keyBuff }, false, 'pem'],
+  [{ pem: keyBuff }, false],
   [1, false],
   [[keyBuff, true], [certBuff, certBuff2], 1],
   [[true, keyStr2], [certStr, certStr2], 0],
   [[true, false], [certBuff, certBuff2], 0],
   [true, [certBuff, certBuff2]]
 ].forEach(([key, cert, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index === undefined ? key : key[index]);
+  const val = index === undefined ? key : key[index];
   assert.throws(() => {
     https.createServer({ key, cert });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "options.key" property must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.key" property must be of type string or an ' +
+             'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
@@ -100,21 +101,22 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [keyDataView, true],
   [true, true],
   [false, true],
-  [false, { pem: keyBuff }, 'pem'],
+  [false, { pem: keyBuff }],
   [false, 1],
   [[keyBuff, keyBuff2], [true, certBuff2], 0],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], [certStr, true], 1],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], [true, false], 0],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], true],
 ].forEach(([key, cert, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index === undefined ? cert : cert[index]);
+  const val = index === undefined ? cert : cert[index];
   assert.throws(() => {
     https.createServer({ key, cert });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "options.cert" property must be one of type string, Buffer,' +
-             ` TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.cert" property must be of type string or an ' +
+             'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
@@ -141,13 +143,14 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [keyBuff, certBuff, true],
   [keyBuff, certBuff, [caCert, true], 1]
 ].forEach(([key, cert, ca, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index ? ca[index] : ca);
+  const val = index === undefined ? ca : ca[index];
   assert.throws(() => {
     https.createServer({ key, cert, ca });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "options.ca" property must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.ca" property must be of type string or an instance' +
+             ' of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-icu-transcode.js b/test/parallel/test-icu-transcode.js
index 0b44c7795e5b15..ec28d37bf7e06b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-icu-transcode.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-icu-transcode.js
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "source" argument must be one of type Buffer ' +
-             'or Uint8Array. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "source" argument must be an instance of Buffer ' +
+             'or Uint8Array. Received null'
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-internal-module-map-asserts.js b/test/parallel/test-internal-module-map-asserts.js
index 614da43aba0acb..6f985faccd92bb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-internal-module-map-asserts.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-internal-module-map-asserts.js
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 // Flags: --expose-internals
 'use strict';
 
-const common = require('../common');
+require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const ModuleMap = require('internal/modules/esm/module_map');
 
 // ModuleMap.get, ModuleMap.has and ModuleMap.set should only accept string
 // values as url argument.
 {
-  const errorReg = common.expectsError({
+  const errorObj = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    type: TypeError,
+    name: 'TypeError',
     message: /^The "url" argument must be of type string/
-  }, 12);
+  };
 
   const moduleMap = new ModuleMap();
 
@@ -22,23 +22,21 @@ const ModuleMap = require('internal/modules/esm/module_map');
   const job = undefined;
 
   [{}, [], true, 1].forEach((value) => {
-    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.get(value), errorReg);
-    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.has(value), errorReg);
-    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.set(value, job), errorReg);
+    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.get(value), errorObj);
+    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.has(value), errorObj);
+    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.set(value, job), errorObj);
   });
 }
 
 // ModuleMap.set, job argument should only accept ModuleJob values.
 {
-  const errorReg = common.expectsError({
-    code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    type: TypeError,
-    message: /^The "job" argument must be of type ModuleJob/
-  }, 4);
-
   const moduleMap = new ModuleMap();
 
   [{}, [], true, 1].forEach((value) => {
-    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.set('', value), errorReg);
+    assert.throws(() => moduleMap.set('', value), {
+      code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
+      name: 'TypeError',
+      message: /^The "job" argument must be an instance of ModuleJob/
+    });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-module-loading-error.js b/test/parallel/test-module-loading-error.js
index 40b6de72a3299b..24a2a8cc9fad01 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-module-loading-error.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-module-loading-error.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ assert.throws(
   }
 );
 
-const re = /^The "id" argument must be of type string\. Received type \w+$/;
+const re = /^The "id" argument must be of type string\. Received /;
 [1, false, null, undefined, {}].forEach((value) => {
   common.expectsError(
     () => { require(value); },
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-net-write-arguments.js b/test/parallel/test-net-write-arguments.js
index 19b037ee0fc94c..cd502202baaf3f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-net-write-arguments.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-net-write-arguments.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ common.expectsError(() => socket.write(null),
   socket.write(value, common.expectsError({
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "chunk" argument must be one of type string or Buffer. ' +
-              `Received type ${typeof value}`
+    message: 'The "chunk" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+              `Buffer.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)}`
   }));
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js b/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
index 901bdb0b93de63..9d616d0c130c20 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
@@ -220,8 +220,8 @@ function checkFormat(path, testCases) {
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "pathObject" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof pathObject}`
+      message: 'The "pathObject" argument must be of type object.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(pathObject)
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-performance-function.js b/test/parallel/test-performance-function.js
index 25e3db639030ba..5271f419a3e34b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-performance-function.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-performance-function.js
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ const {
                         {
                           code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
                           type: TypeError,
-                          message: 'The "fn" argument must be of type ' +
-                                   `Function. Received type ${typeof input}`
+                          message: /The "fn" argument must be of type function/
                         });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-performanceobserver.js b/test/parallel/test-performanceobserver.js
index 75097cb8c77141..6c28baa82f1877 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-performanceobserver.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-performanceobserver.js
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ assert.strictEqual(counts[NODE_PERFORMANCE_ENTRY_TYPE_FUNCTION], 0);
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof input}`
+        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
       });
   });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js b/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
index 76e0702b9e4dc5..ecd782f86a52a9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-cpuUsage.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict';
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const result = process.cpuUsage();
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ assert.throws(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
     message: 'The "prevValue" argument must be of type object. ' +
-             'Received type number'
+             'Received type number (1)'
   }
 );
 
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "prevValue.user" property must be of type number. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value.user}`
+      message: 'The "prevValue.user" property must be of type number.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value.user)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ assert.throws(
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
-      message: 'The "prevValue.system" property must be of type number. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value.system}`
+      message: 'The "prevValue.system" property must be of type number.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value.system)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-euid-egid.js b/test/parallel/test-process-euid-egid.js
index b9e0630dab5eca..33d630b34dd0f6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-euid-egid.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-euid-egid.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ assert.throws(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   message: 'The "id" argument must be one of type number or string. ' +
-    'Received type object'
+    'Received an instance of Object'
 });
 
 assert.throws(() => {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-exception-capture-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-process-exception-capture-errors.js
index d2f5b8617725f4..5f89852b6e1875 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-exception-capture-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-exception-capture-errors.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "fn" argument must be one of type Function or null. ' +
-             'Received type number'
+    message: 'The "fn" argument must be of type function or null. ' +
+             'Received type number (42)'
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-hrtime.js b/test/parallel/test-process-hrtime.js
index 81e50ccb7f85f0..8d469e1dccd3aa 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-hrtime.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-hrtime.js
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "time" argument must be of type Array. Received type number'
+  message: 'The "time" argument must be an instance of Array. Received type ' +
+           'number (1)'
 });
 common.expectsError(() => {
   process.hrtime([]);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-initgroups.js b/test/parallel/test-process-initgroups.js
index 0cc0760d76aff0..6b4e3bdf1470b4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-initgroups.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-initgroups.js
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ if (!common.isMainThread)
       name: 'TypeError',
       message:
         'The "user" argument must be ' +
-        'one of type number or string. ' +
-        `Received type ${typeof val}`
+        'one of type number or string.' +
+        common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ if (!common.isMainThread)
       name: 'TypeError',
       message:
         'The "extraGroup" argument must be ' +
-        'one of type number or string. ' +
-        `Received type ${typeof val}`
+        'one of type number or string.' +
+        common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-kill-pid.js b/test/parallel/test-process-kill-pid.js
index 6d0af8bd3ef91a..a69961da6c94f6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-kill-pid.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-kill-pid.js
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ const assert = require('assert');
   assert.throws(() => process.kill(val), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "pid" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof val}`
+    message: 'The "pid" argument must be of type number.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-setgroups.js b/test/parallel/test-process-setgroups.js
index 31e56a2da32197..2e04c8a1756383 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-setgroups.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-setgroups.js
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ assert.throws(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     name: 'TypeError',
-    message: 'The "groups" argument must be of type Array. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+    message: 'The "groups" argument must be an instance of Array. ' +
+             'Received undefined'
   }
 );
 
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ assert.throws(
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       name: 'TypeError',
       message: 'The "groups[0]" argument must be ' +
-               'one of type number or string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof val}`
+               'one of type number or string.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-uid-gid.js b/test/parallel/test-process-uid-gid.js
index dd11a2ec6e089d..6ca2e009571ef0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-uid-gid.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-uid-gid.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ assert.throws(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   message: 'The "id" argument must be one of type ' +
-    'number or string. Received type object'
+    'number or string. Received an instance of Object'
 });
 
 assert.throws(() => {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-require-resolve.js b/test/parallel/test-require-resolve.js
index 484263c226f4a3..c89b4d89b861b5 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-require-resolve.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-require-resolve.js
@@ -38,20 +38,21 @@ assert.strictEqual(require.resolve('path'), 'path');
 require(fixtures.path('require-resolve.js'));
 require(fixtures.path('resolve-paths', 'default', 'verify-paths.js'));
 
-const re = /^The "request" argument must be of type string\. Received type \w+$/;
 [1, false, null, undefined, {}].forEach((value) => {
+  const message = 'The "request" argument must be of type string.' +
+    common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value);
   common.expectsError(
     () => { require.resolve(value); },
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: re
+      message
     });
 
   common.expectsError(
     () => { require.resolve.paths(value); },
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: re
+      message
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-string-decoder.js b/test/parallel/test-string-decoder.js
index aaffa131cd8246..77c7736be900ce 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-string-decoder.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-string-decoder.js
@@ -196,8 +196,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "buf" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray,' +
-      ' or DataView. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "buf" argument must be an instance of Buffer, TypedArray,' +
+      ' or DataView. Received null'
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-basic-validations.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-basic-validations.js
index 763b60fac536d8..f39d8553e7e075 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-basic-validations.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-basic-validations.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.ciphers" property must be of type string.' +
-      ' Received type number'
+      ' Received type number (1)'
   });
 
 common.expectsError(
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.ciphers" property must be of type string.' +
-      ' Received type number'
+      ' Received type number (1)'
   });
 
 common.expectsError(
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options.handshakeTimeout" property must ' +
-              'be of type number. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "options.handshakeTimeout" property must be of type number.' +
+              " Received type string ('abcd')"
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-clientcertengine-invalid-arg-type.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-clientcertengine-invalid-arg-type.js
index b91e0f35c4c384..5b77141aaa5da4 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-clientcertengine-invalid-arg-type.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-clientcertengine-invalid-arg-type.js
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ const tls = require('tls');
   common.expectsError(
     () => { tls.createSecureContext({ clientCertEngine: 0 }); },
     { code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-      message: / Received type number$/ });
+      message: / Received type number \(0\)/ });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-error-servername.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-error-servername.js
index c42ff2fe73f466..034b2a57058eda 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-error-servername.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-error-servername.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ const client = connect({
     client.setServername(value);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof value}`
+    message: 'The "name" argument must be of type string.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-keyengine-invalid-arg-type.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-keyengine-invalid-arg-type.js
index 385841a6541f94..d68b40cf0dbac3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-keyengine-invalid-arg-type.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-keyengine-invalid-arg-type.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ common.expectsError(
                               privateKeyIdentifier: 'key' });
   },
   { code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: / Received type number$/ });
+    message: / Received type number \(0\)$/ });
 
 common.expectsError(
   () => {
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ common.expectsError(
                               privateKeyIdentifier: 0 });
   },
   { code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: / Received type number$/ });
+    message: / Received type number \(0\)$/ });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-no-cert-required.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-no-cert-required.js
index ef1d366c919bb1..ed24863a2a3c22 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-no-cert-required.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-no-cert-required.js
@@ -39,13 +39,14 @@ tls.createServer(assert.fail)
 tls.createServer({})
   .listen(0, common.mustCall(close));
 
-common.expectsError(() => tls.createServer('this is not valid'),
-                    {
-                      code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-                      type: TypeError,
-                      message: 'The "options" argument must be of type ' +
-                               'Object. Received type string'
-                    }
+common.expectsError(
+  () => tls.createServer('this is not valid'),
+  {
+    code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
+    type: TypeError,
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+             "Received type string ('this is not valid')"
+  }
 );
 
 tls.createServer()
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-options-boolean-check.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-options-boolean-check.js
index 242df1140e41c2..4caf6215596587 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-options-boolean-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-options-boolean-check.js
@@ -74,20 +74,21 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [true, certDataView],
   [true, false],
   [true, false],
-  [{ pem: keyBuff }, false, 'pem'],
+  [{ pem: keyBuff }, false],
   [[keyBuff, true], [certBuff, certBuff2], 1],
   [[true, keyStr2], [certStr, certStr2], 0],
   [[true, false], [certBuff, certBuff2], 0],
   [true, [certBuff, certBuff2]]
 ].forEach(([key, cert, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index === undefined ? key : key[index]);
+  const val = index === undefined ? key : key[index];
   common.expectsError(() => {
     tls.createServer({ key, cert });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options.key" property must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.key" property must be of type string or an ' +
+             'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
@@ -98,21 +99,22 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [keyDataView, true],
   [true, true],
   [false, true],
-  [false, { pem: keyBuff }, 'pem'],
+  [false, { pem: keyBuff }],
   [false, 1],
   [[keyBuff, keyBuff2], [true, certBuff2], 0],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], [certStr, true], 1],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], [true, false], 0],
   [[keyStr, keyStr2], true]
 ].forEach(([key, cert, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index === undefined ? cert : cert[index]);
+  const val = index === undefined ? cert : cert[index];
   common.expectsError(() => {
     tls.createServer({ key, cert });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options.cert" property must be one of type string, Buffer,' +
-             ` TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.cert" property must be of type string or an ' +
+             'instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
@@ -139,14 +141,15 @@ const caArrDataView = toDataView(caCert);
   [keyBuff, certBuff, true],
   [keyBuff, certBuff, [caCert, true], 1]
 ].forEach(([key, cert, ca, index]) => {
-  const type = typeof (index === undefined ? ca : ca[index]);
+  const val = index === undefined ? ca : ca[index];
   common.expectsError(() => {
     tls.createServer({ key, cert, ca });
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options.ca" property must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-             `TypedArray, or DataView. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "options.ca" property must be of type string or an instance' +
+             ' of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-url-format-invalid-input.js b/test/parallel/test-url-format-invalid-input.js
index 1a0df32657ece8..5ba3b0bb4bf2ee 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-url-format-invalid-input.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-url-format-invalid-input.js
@@ -3,24 +3,24 @@ const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const url = require('url');
 
-const throwsObjsAndReportTypes = new Map([
-  [undefined, 'undefined'],
-  [null, 'object'],
-  [true, 'boolean'],
-  [false, 'boolean'],
-  [0, 'number'],
-  [function() {}, 'function'],
-  [Symbol('foo'), 'symbol']
-]);
+const throwsObjsAndReportTypes = [
+  undefined,
+  null,
+  true,
+  false,
+  0,
+  function() {},
+  Symbol('foo')
+];
 
-for (const [urlObject, type] of throwsObjsAndReportTypes) {
+for (const urlObject of throwsObjsAndReportTypes) {
   common.expectsError(function() {
     url.format(urlObject);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "urlObject" argument must be one of type Object or string. ' +
-             `Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "urlObject" argument must be one of type object or string.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(urlObject)
   });
 }
 assert.strictEqual(url.format(''), '');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-url-format-whatwg.js b/test/parallel/test-url-format-whatwg.js
index 95332e3f099899..ab3d18bdc3aa25 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-url-format-whatwg.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-url-format-whatwg.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ assert.strictEqual(
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         name: 'TypeError',
-        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof value}`
+        message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-url-parse-invalid-input.js b/test/parallel/test-url-parse-invalid-input.js
index aad8462bfc2633..bfbd6636298b15 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-url-parse-invalid-input.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-url-parse-invalid-input.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ const url = require('url');
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: `The "url" argument must be of type string. Received type ${type}`
+    message: 'The "url" argument must be of type string.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-callbackify.js b/test/parallel/test-util-callbackify.js
index 879177907451a8..7bb964b270ee2d 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-callbackify.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-callbackify.js
@@ -260,8 +260,8 @@ const values = [
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "original" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value}`
+      message: 'The "original" argument must be of type function.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
     });
   });
 }
@@ -282,8 +282,8 @@ const values = [
     }, {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The last argument must be of type Function. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value}`
+      message: 'The last argument must be of type function.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-deprecate-invalid-code.js b/test/parallel/test-util-deprecate-invalid-code.js
index 635bab4252fb5b..29758556f19e75 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-deprecate-invalid-code.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-deprecate-invalid-code.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const util = require('util');
   common.expectsError(() => util.deprecate(() => {}, 'message', notString), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "code" argument must be of type string. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof notString}`
+    message: 'The "code" argument must be of type string.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(notString)
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
index ed0800c33cec42..a190c8d8864a19 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ common.expectsError(function() {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "superCtor.prototype" property must be of type Object. ' +
-           'Received type undefined'
+  message: 'The "superCtor.prototype" property must be of type object. ' +
+           'Received undefined'
 });
 
 common.expectsError(function() {
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ common.expectsError(function() {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "superCtor" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-           'Received type object'
+  message: 'The "superCtor" argument must be of type function. ' +
+           'Received null'
 });
 
 common.expectsError(function() {
@@ -106,5 +106,5 @@ common.expectsError(function() {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "ctor" argument must be of type Function. Received type object'
+  message: 'The "ctor" argument must be of type function. Received null'
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
index 4a25013355703e..e206e94c0f1c48 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
@@ -1455,8 +1455,8 @@ if (typeof Symbol !== 'undefined') {
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-             'Received type object'
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+             'Received null'
   }
   );
 
@@ -1465,8 +1465,8 @@ if (typeof Symbol !== 'undefined') {
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+             "Received type string ('bad')"
   }
   );
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-promisify.js b/test/parallel/test-util-promisify.js
index 77601eae6daa9d..8b91deba3aa374 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-promisify.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-promisify.js
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ const stat = promisify(fs.stat);
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "original" argument must be of type Function. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof input}`
+      message: 'The "original" argument must be of type function.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     });
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-uv-errno.js b/test/parallel/test-uv-errno.js
index 768e2f27ddde75..4f97941f4b106a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-uv-errno.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-uv-errno.js
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ function runTest(fn) {
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "err" argument must be of type number. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof err}`
+        message: 'The "err" argument must be of type number.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(err)
       });
   });
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-v8-flag-type-check.js b/test/parallel/test-v8-flag-type-check.js
index 1dcdee928b1ec3..51f485f543f784 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-v8-flag-type-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-v8-flag-type-check.js
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ const v8 = require('v8');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "flags" argument must be of type string. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof value}`
+      message: 'The "flags" argument must be of type string.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-basic.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-basic.js
index 69fd859b028815..e530f671968cfa 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-basic.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-basic.js
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ const vm = require('vm');
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-             `Received type ${typeof input}`
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
   });
 });
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ const vm = require('vm');
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: `The "options.${propertyName}" property must be of type string. ` +
-             'Received type object'
+             'Received null'
   });
 });
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ const vm = require('vm');
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: `The "options.${propertyName}" property must be of type string. ` +
-             'Received type object'
+             'Received null'
   });
 });
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ const vm = require('vm');
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     message: 'The "code" argument must be of type string. ' +
-      'Received type undefined'
+      'Received undefined'
   });
 
   vm.compileFunction(''); // Should pass without params or options
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ const vm = require('vm');
   common.expectsError(() => vm.compileFunction('', null), {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "params" argument must be of type Array. ' +
-      'Received type object'
+    message: 'The "params" argument must be an instance of Array. ' +
+      'Received null'
   });
 
   // vm.compileFunction('', undefined, null);
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ const vm = require('vm');
 
   for (const option in optionTypes) {
     const typeErrorMessage = `The "options.${option}" property must be ` +
-       `${option === 'cachedData' ? 'one of' : 'of'} type`;
+      (option === 'cachedData' ? 'an instance of' : 'of type');
     common.expectsError(() => {
       vm.compileFunction('', undefined, { [option]: null });
     }, {
       type: TypeError,
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       message: typeErrorMessage +
-        ` ${optionTypes[option]}. Received type object`
+        ` ${optionTypes[option]}. Received null`
     });
   }
 
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ const vm = require('vm');
       }, {
         type: TypeError,
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-        message: 'The "options.parsingContext" property must be of type ' +
-          `Context. Received type ${typeof value}`
+        message: 'The "options.parsingContext" property must be an instance ' +
+          `of Context.${common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)}`
       });
     }
   );
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@ const vm = require('vm');
       }, {
         type: TypeError,
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-        message: 'The "params" argument must be of type Array. ' +
-          `Received type ${typeof value}`
+        message: 'The "params" argument must be an instance of Array.' +
+          common.invalidArgTypeHelper(value)
       });
     }
   );
@@ -237,8 +237,8 @@ const vm = require('vm');
   }, {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "options.contextExtensions" property must be of type Array' +
-       '. Received type object'
+    message: 'The "options.contextExtensions" property must be an instance of' +
+       ' Array. Received null'
   });
 
   common.expectsError(() => {
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ const vm = require('vm');
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     message: 'The "options.contextExtensions[0]" property must be of type ' +
-       'object. Received type number'
+       'object. Received type number (0)'
   });
 
   const oldLimit = Error.stackTraceLimit;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-cached-data.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-cached-data.js
index 1b14999cdbc2f7..dbf369bf81c455 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-cached-data.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-cached-data.js
@@ -93,5 +93,5 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: /must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView/
+  message: /must be an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView/
 });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-context.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-context.js
index e1cfd145f226ad..53326942d89df2 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-context.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-context.js
@@ -67,19 +67,22 @@ assert.strictEqual(gh1140Exception.toString(), 'Error');
 const nonContextualSandboxError = {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: /must be of type Object/
+  message: /must be of type object/
 };
 const contextifiedSandboxError = {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: /must be of type vm\.Context/
+  message: /The "contextifiedSandbox" argument must be an vm\.Context/
 };
 
 [
   [undefined, nonContextualSandboxError],
-  [null, nonContextualSandboxError], [0, nonContextualSandboxError],
-  [0.0, nonContextualSandboxError], ['', nonContextualSandboxError],
-  [{}, contextifiedSandboxError], [[], contextifiedSandboxError]
+  [null, nonContextualSandboxError],
+  [0, nonContextualSandboxError],
+  [0.0, nonContextualSandboxError],
+  ['', nonContextualSandboxError],
+  [{}, contextifiedSandboxError],
+  [[], contextifiedSandboxError]
 ].forEach((e) => {
   common.expectsError(() => { script.runInContext(e[0]); }, e[1]);
   common.expectsError(() => { vm.runInContext('', e[0]); }, e[1]);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-vm-module-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-vm-module-errors.js
index e5a766e37dfdb8..a76666c02835d0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-vm-module-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-vm-module-errors.js
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ async function checkModuleState() {
     await m.evaluate(false);
   }, {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-             'Received type boolean'
+    message: 'The "options" argument must be of type object. ' +
+             'Received type boolean (false)'
   });
 
   common.expectsError(() => {
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ common.expectsError(() => {
 }, {
   code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
   type: TypeError,
-  message: 'The "options.importModuleDynamically"' +
-    ' property must be of type function. Received type string'
+  message: 'The "options.importModuleDynamically" property must be of type ' +
+    "function. Received type string ('hucairz')"
 });
 
 // Check the JavaScript engine deals with exceptions correctly
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ async function checkInvalidOptionForEvaluate() {
     name: 'TypeError',
     message:
       'The "options.breakOnSigint" property must be of type boolean. ' +
-      'Received type string',
+      "Received type string ('a-string')",
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE'
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js b/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
index 45eaef6fc38eba..1316afd7835574 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-worker-process-env.js
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ if (!workerData && process.argv[2] !== 'child') {
   }, {
     type: TypeError,
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: 'The "options.env" property must be one of type object, ' +
-      'undefined, null, or worker_threads.SHARE_ENV. Received type number'
+    message: 'The "options.env" property must be of type object or ' +
+      'one of undefined, null, or worker_threads.SHARE_ENV. Received type ' +
+      'number (42)'
   });
 } else if (workerData === 'runInWorker') {
   // Env vars from the parent thread are inherited.
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-worker-type-check.js b/test/parallel/test-worker-type-check.js
index 96475560354897..2d180130390ee8 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-worker-type-check.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-worker-type-check.js
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ const { Worker } = require('worker_threads');
       {
         code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
         type: TypeError,
-        message: 'The "filename" argument must be of type string. ' +
-                 `Received type ${typeof val}`
+        message: 'The "filename" argument must be of type string.' +
+                 common.invalidArgTypeHelper(val)
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-convenience-methods.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-convenience-methods.js
index b60d0e15ac263a..65c842b66a86c9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-convenience-methods.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-convenience-methods.js
@@ -128,6 +128,6 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "callback" argument must be of type function. ' +
-             'Received type undefined'
+             'Received undefined'
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-deflate-constructors.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-deflate-constructors.js
index 5d5e9fb4a2edd1..3cb4eca5ea2af2 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-deflate-constructors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-deflate-constructors.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.chunkSize" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.windowBits" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.level" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "level" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.memLevel" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.strategy" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "strategy" argument must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('test')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@ common.expectsError(
   {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "options.dictionary" property must be one of type Buffer, ' +
-             'TypedArray, DataView, or ArrayBuffer. Received type string'
+    message: 'The "options.dictionary" property must be an instance of Buffer' +
+             ', TypedArray, DataView, or ArrayBuffer. Received type string ' +
+             "('not a buffer')"
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-flush-flags.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-flush-flags.js
index 67c58b95d3105e..64390a3137d994 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-flush-flags.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-flush-flags.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.flush" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('foobar')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message: 'The "options.finishFlush" property must be of type number. ' +
-             'Received type string'
+             "Received type string ('foobar')"
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js
index bf59e86d5c3664..6a3b2b772f3788 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ const zlib = require('zlib');
     {
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
-      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, ' +
-               'TypedArray, DataView, or ArrayBuffer. ' +
-               `Received type ${typeof input}`
+      message: 'The "buffer" argument must be of type string or an instance ' +
+               'of Buffer, TypedArray, DataView, or ArrayBuffer.' +
+               common.invalidArgTypeHelper(input)
     }
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-crypto-timing-safe-equal.js b/test/sequential/test-crypto-timing-safe-equal.js
index 75385e5f88ad50..05d5a2a3881900 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-crypto-timing-safe-equal.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-crypto-timing-safe-equal.js
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message:
-      'The "buf1" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
-      'DataView. Received type string'
+      'The "buf1" argument must be an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
+      "DataView. Received type string ('not a buffer')"
   }
 );
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ common.expectsError(
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
     message:
-      'The "buf2" argument must be one of type Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
-      'DataView. Received type string'
+      'The "buf2" argument must be an instance of Buffer, TypedArray, or ' +
+      "DataView. Received type string ('not a buffer')"
   }
 );
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-heapdump.js b/test/sequential/test-heapdump.js
index a65b33c3138a62..474979914a209e 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-heapdump.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-heapdump.js
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ process.chdir(tmpdir.path);
   common.expectsError(() => writeHeapSnapshot(i), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
     type: TypeError,
-    message: 'The "path" argument must be one of type string, Buffer, or URL.' +
-             ` Received type ${typeof i}`
+    message: 'The "path" argument must be of type string or an instance of ' +
+             'Buffer or URL.' +
+             common.invalidArgTypeHelper(i)
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-inspector-module.js b/test/sequential/test-inspector-module.js
index 010f03c6e43e83..166b726db4b88d 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-inspector-module.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-inspector-module.js
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ session.post('Runtime.evaluate', { expression: '2 + 2' });
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message:
-        'The "method" argument must be of type string. ' +
-        `Received type ${typeof i}`
+        'The "method" argument must be of type string.' +
+        common.invalidArgTypeHelper(i)
     }
   );
 });
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ session.post('Runtime.evaluate', { expression: '2 + 2' });
       code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
       type: TypeError,
       message:
-        'The "params" argument must be of type Object. ' +
-        `Received type ${typeof i}`
+        'The "params" argument must be of type object.' +
+        common.invalidArgTypeHelper(i)
     }
   );
 });