diff --git a/scrape/scrape.go b/scrape/scrape.go
index 5447870cc..e8d5147df 100644
--- a/scrape/scrape.go
+++ b/scrape/scrape.go
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ func verifyLabelLimits(lset labels.Labels, limits *labelLimits) error {
 	if limits.labelLimit > 0 {
 		nbLabels := len(lset)
 		if nbLabels > int(limits.labelLimit) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("label_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, number of label: %d, limit: %d)", met, nbLabels, limits.labelLimit)
+			return fmt.Errorf("label_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, number of labels: %d, limit: %d)", met, nbLabels, limits.labelLimit)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -631,14 +631,14 @@ func verifyLabelLimits(lset labels.Labels, limits *labelLimits) error {
 		if limits.labelNameLengthLimit > 0 {
 			nameLength := len(l.Name)
 			if nameLength > int(limits.labelNameLengthLimit) {
-				return fmt.Errorf("label_name_length_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, label: %.50v, name length: %d, limit: %d)", met, l, nameLength, limits.labelNameLengthLimit)
+				return fmt.Errorf("label_name_length_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, label name: %.50s, length: %d, limit: %d)", met, l.Name, nameLength, limits.labelNameLengthLimit)
 			}
 		}
 
 		if limits.labelValueLengthLimit > 0 {
 			valueLength := len(l.Value)
 			if valueLength > int(limits.labelValueLengthLimit) {
-				return fmt.Errorf("label_value_length_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, label: %.50v, value length: %d, limit: %d)", met, l, valueLength, limits.labelValueLengthLimit)
+				return fmt.Errorf("label_value_length_limit exceeded (metric: %.50s, label name: %.50s, value: %.50q, length: %d, limit: %d)", met, l.Name, l.Value, valueLength, limits.labelValueLengthLimit)
 			}
 		}
 	}