diff --git a/src/@dates/dates.m b/src/@dates/dates.m
index ca5858e1b91bdb3b6fd778f3c40b4ee8539f7a79..95b1612034583c00ae0ec920b2500b447f5697a6 100644
--- a/src/@dates/dates.m
+++ b/src/@dates/dates.m
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ methods
             end
             return
         end
-        error('dates:ArgCheck','You should first read the manual!')
+        error('dates:ArgCheck','The input cannot be interpreted as a date. You should first read the manual!')
     end % dates constructor.
         % Other methods
     p = sort(o);