diff --git a/mercurial/templater.py b/mercurial/templater.py
--- a/mercurial/templater.py
+++ b/mercurial/templater.py
@@ -569,8 +569,7 @@ def word(context, mapping, args):
         num = int(stringify(args[0][0](context, mapping, args[0][1])))
     except ValueError:
         # i18n: "word" is a keyword
-        raise error.ParseError(
-                _("Use strings like '3' for numbers passed to word function"))
+        raise error.ParseError(_("word expects an integer index"))
     text = stringify(args[1][0](context, mapping, args[1][1]))
     if len(args) == 3:
         splitter = stringify(args[2][0](context, mapping, args[2][1]))
diff --git a/tests/test-command-template.t b/tests/test-command-template.t
--- a/tests/test-command-template.t
+++ b/tests/test-command-template.t
@@ -2778,5 +2778,5 @@ Test word for integer literal
 Test word for invalid numbers
 
   $ hg log -Gv -R a --template "{word('a', desc)}"
-  hg: parse error: Use strings like '3' for numbers passed to word function
+  hg: parse error: word expects an integer index
   [255]