diff --git a/include/sway/commands.h b/include/sway/commands.h
index 2f6d31b1..6606775a 100644
--- a/include/sway/commands.h
+++ b/include/sway/commands.h
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@ struct cmd_results {
 };
 
 enum expected_args {
-	EXPECTED_MORE_THAN,
 	EXPECTED_AT_LEAST,
-	EXPECTED_LESS_THAN,
+	EXPECTED_AT_MOST,
 	EXPECTED_EQUAL_TO
 };
 
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 3f416afc..37c7169a 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -18,41 +18,28 @@
 
 // Returns error object, or NULL if check succeeds.
 struct cmd_results *checkarg(int argc, const char *name, enum expected_args type, int val) {
-	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
+	const char *error_name = NULL;
 	switch (type) {
-	case EXPECTED_MORE_THAN:
-		if (argc > val) {
-			return NULL;
-		}
-		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid %s command "
-			"(expected more than %d argument%s, got %d)",
-			name, val, (char*[2]){"s", ""}[argc==1], argc);
-		break;
 	case EXPECTED_AT_LEAST:
-		if (argc >= val) {
-			return NULL;
+		if (argc < val) {
+			error_name = "at least ";
 		}
-		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid %s command "
-			"(expected at least %d argument%s, got %d)",
-			name, val, (char*[2]){"s", ""}[argc==1], argc);
 		break;
-	case EXPECTED_LESS_THAN:
-		if (argc  < val) {
-			return NULL;
-		};
-		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid %s command "
-			"(expected less than %d argument%s, got %d)",
-			name, val, (char*[2]){"s", ""}[argc==1], argc);
+	case EXPECTED_AT_MOST:
+		if (argc > val) {
+			error_name = "at most ";
+		}
 		break;
 	case EXPECTED_EQUAL_TO:
-		if (argc == val) {
-			return NULL;
-		};
-		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid %s command "
-			"(expected %d arguments, got %d)", name, val, argc);
-		break;
+		if (argc != val) {
+			error_name = "";
+		}
 	}
-	return error;
+	return error_name ?
+		cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid %s command "
+				"(expected %s%d argument%s, got %d)",
+				name, error_name, val, val != 1 ? "s" : "", argc)
+		: NULL;
 }
 
 void apply_seat_config(struct seat_config *seat_config) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c b/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
index 4eea3e6a..965c8903 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/bindsym.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_bindsym(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "bar bindsym", EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 1))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "bar bindsym", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 2))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	if (!config->current_bar) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c b/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
index 28adf6c7..5be6c2dc 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_hidden_state(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "hidden_state", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "hidden_state", EXPECTED_LESS_THAN, 3))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "hidden_state", EXPECTED_AT_MOST, 2))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	if (config->reading && argc > 1) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/mode.c b/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
index dbdd3897..2cba785e 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_mode(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "mode", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "mode", EXPECTED_LESS_THAN, 3))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "mode", EXPECTED_AT_MOST, 2))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	if (config->reading && argc > 1) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/bind.c b/sway/commands/bind.c
index 5832d01e..a9de227f 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bind.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bind.c
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym_or_bindcode(int argc, char **argv,
 	const char *bindtype = bindcode ? "bindcode" : "bindsym";
 
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, bindtype, EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 1))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, bindtype, EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 2))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/exec_always.c b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
index de78dd83..8bdeceeb 100644
--- a/sway/commands/exec_always.c
+++ b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
 	if (!config->active) return cmd_results_new(CMD_DEFER, NULL, NULL);
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "exec_always", EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 0))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, argv[-1], EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (strcmp(argv[0], "--no-startup-id") == 0) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "exec switch '--no-startup-id' not supported, ignored.");
 		--argc; ++argv;
-		if ((error = checkarg(argc, "exec_always", EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 0))) {
+		if ((error = checkarg(argc, argv[-1], EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
 			return error;
 		}
 	}
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 	} else if (pid < 0) {
 		close(fd[0]);
 		close(fd[1]);
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "exec_always", "fork() failed");
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, argv[-1], "fork() failed");
 	}
 	close(fd[1]); // close write
 	ssize_t s = 0;
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Child process created with pid %d", child);
 		root_record_workspace_pid(child);
 	} else {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "exec_always",
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, argv[-1],
 			"Second fork() failed");
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/fullscreen.c b/sway/commands/fullscreen.c
index 22d747b9..0204a73c 100644
--- a/sway/commands/fullscreen.c
+++ b/sway/commands/fullscreen.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 struct cmd_results *cmd_fullscreen(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "fullscreen", EXPECTED_LESS_THAN, 2))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "fullscreen", EXPECTED_AT_MOST, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	struct sway_node *node = config->handler_context.node;
diff --git a/sway/commands/layout.c b/sway/commands/layout.c
index c2ce2e78..65f67af8 100644
--- a/sway/commands/layout.c
+++ b/sway/commands/layout.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static enum sway_container_layout get_layout(int argc, char **argv,
 
 struct cmd_results *cmd_layout(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "layout", EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 0))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "layout", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	struct sway_container *container = config->handler_context.container;
diff --git a/sway/commands/opacity.c b/sway/commands/opacity.c
index 4e4fc994..8c45b528 100644
--- a/sway/commands/opacity.c
+++ b/sway/commands/opacity.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static bool parse_opacity(const char *opacity, float *val) {
 
 struct cmd_results *cmd_opacity(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
-	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "layout", EXPECTED_EQUAL_TO, 1))) {
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "opacity", EXPECTED_EQUAL_TO, 1))) {
 		return error;
 	}