diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index c523ce32eb..fc239101f9 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -1421,15 +1421,19 @@ static bool is_cpu_type_supported(const MachineState *machine, Error **errp)
 
         /* The user specified CPU type isn't valid */
         if (!mc->valid_cpu_types[i]) {
-            error_setg(errp, "Invalid CPU type: %s", machine->cpu_type);
+            g_autofree char *requested = cpu_model_from_type(machine->cpu_type);
+            error_setg(errp, "Invalid CPU model: %s", requested);
             if (!mc->valid_cpu_types[1]) {
-                error_append_hint(errp, "The only valid type is: %s\n",
-                                  mc->valid_cpu_types[0]);
+                g_autofree char *model = cpu_model_from_type(
+                                                 mc->valid_cpu_types[0]);
+                error_append_hint(errp, "The only valid type is: %s\n", model);
             } else {
-                error_append_hint(errp, "The valid types are: ");
+                error_append_hint(errp, "The valid models are: ");
                 for (i = 0; mc->valid_cpu_types[i]; i++) {
+                    g_autofree char *model = cpu_model_from_type(
+                                                 mc->valid_cpu_types[i]);
                     error_append_hint(errp, "%s%s",
-                                      mc->valid_cpu_types[i],
+                                      model,
                                       mc->valid_cpu_types[i + 1] ? ", " : "");
                 }
                 error_append_hint(errp, "\n");