diff --git a/scp.c b/scp.c
index 3597c9fe..cd7f3fd2 100644
--- a/scp.c
+++ b/scp.c
@@ -5978,11 +5978,14 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {                                    /* do all mods */
                     if (r != SCPE_OK)
                         return r;
                     }
-                else if (!mptr->desc)                   /* value desc? */
-                    break;
-                else if (cvptr)                         /* = value? */
-                    return SCPE_ARG;
-                else *((int32 *) mptr->desc) = mptr->match;
+                else 
+                    if (!mptr->desc)                    /* value desc? */
+                        break;
+                    else 
+                        if (cvptr)                      /* = value? */
+                            return SCPE_ARG;
+                        else 
+                            *((int32 *) mptr->desc) = mptr->match;
                 }                                       /* end if xtd */
             else {                                      /* old style */
                 if (cvptr)                              /* = value? */
@@ -6004,9 +6007,11 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {                                    /* do all mods */
             if (r != SCPE_OK)
                 return r;
             }
-        else if (!dptr->modifiers)                      /* no modifiers? */
-            return SCPE_NOPARAM;
-        else return sim_messagef (SCPE_NXPAR, "%s device: Non-existent parameter - %s\n", dptr->name, gbuf);
+        else
+            if (!dptr->modifiers)                      /* no modifiers? */
+                return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "%s device has no parameters\n", dptr->name);
+            else
+                return sim_messagef (SCPE_NXPAR, "%s device: Non-existent parameter - %s\n", dptr->name, gbuf);
         }                                               /* end if no mat */
     }                                                   /* end while */
 return SCPE_OK;                                         /* done all */
diff --git a/sim_console.c b/sim_console.c
index 3168ccb3..0e839ee5 100644
--- a/sim_console.c
+++ b/sim_console.c
@@ -417,7 +417,8 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {                                    /* do all mods */
         if (r != SCPE_OK)
             return r;
         }
-    else return SCPE_NOPARAM;
+    else
+        return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "Invalid console parameter: %s\n", gbuf);
     }
 return SCPE_OK;
 }
@@ -440,7 +441,8 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {
     cptr = get_glyph (cptr, gbuf, ',');                 /* get modifier */
     if ((shptr = find_shtab (show_con_tab, gbuf)))
         shptr->action (st, dptr, uptr, shptr->arg, NULL);
-    else return SCPE_NOPARAM;
+    else
+        return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "Invalid console parameter: %s\n", gbuf);
     }
 return SCPE_OK;
 }
@@ -588,7 +590,8 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {                                    /* do all mods */
         if (r != SCPE_OK)
             return r;
         }
-    else return SCPE_NOPARAM;
+    else 
+        return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "Invalid remote console parameter: %s\n", gbuf);
     }
 return SCPE_OK;
 }
@@ -1919,7 +1922,7 @@ if (flag) {
             sim_activate_after(rem_con_poll_unit, 1000000);/* check for connection in 1 second */
         return r;
         }
-    return SCPE_NOPARAM;
+    return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "Invalid remote telnet specification: %s\n", gbuf);
     }
 else {
     if (sim_rem_con_tmxr.master) {
diff --git a/sim_timer.c b/sim_timer.c
index dc46d902..88a47b87 100644
--- a/sim_timer.c
+++ b/sim_timer.c
@@ -1601,7 +1601,8 @@ while (*cptr != 0) {                                    /* do all mods */
         if (r != SCPE_OK)
             return r;
         }
-    else return SCPE_NOPARAM;
+    else
+        return sim_messagef (SCPE_NOPARAM, "Invalid timer parameter: %s\n", gbuf);
     }
 return SCPE_OK;
 }