diff --git a/lisp/info-look.el b/lisp/info-look.el
index 70b04fe72a3..4e6498aa100 100644
--- a/lisp/info-look.el
+++ b/lisp/info-look.el
@@ -377,12 +377,13 @@ If optional argument QUERY is non-nil, query for the help mode."
 				  (cons (symbol-name mode-spec) mode-spec)))
 			      (info-lookup->topic-value topic)))
 	 (mode (completing-read
-		(format "Use %s help mode: " topic)
+		(format "Major mode whose manuals to search for this %s: "
+                        topic)
 		completions nil t nil 'info-lookup-history)))
     (or (setq mode (cdr (assoc mode completions)))
-	(error "No %s help available" topic))
+	(error "No manuals available for %s" topic))
     (or (info-lookup->mode-value topic mode)
-	(error "No %s help available for `%s'" topic mode))
+	(error "The manuals of `%s' have no %s help" mode topic))
     (setq info-lookup-mode mode)))
 
 (defun info-lookup--item-to-mode (item mode)