diff --git a/promql/parser/parse.go b/promql/parser/parse.go
index 6b81f35f93..db63e3d208 100644
--- a/promql/parser/parse.go
+++ b/promql/parser/parse.go
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ func (p *parser) addOffset(e Node, offset time.Duration) {
 		orgoffsetp = &s.OriginalOffset
 		endPosp = &s.EndPos
 	default:
-		p.addParseErrf(e.PositionRange(), "offset modifier must be preceded by an instant selector vector or range vector selector or a subquery")
+		p.addParseErrf(e.PositionRange(), "offset modifier must be preceded by an instant vector selector or range vector selector or a subquery")
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ func (p *parser) getAtModifierVars(e Node) (**int64, *ItemType, *Pos, bool) {
 		timestampp = &s.Timestamp
 		endPosp = &s.EndPos
 	default:
-		p.addParseErrf(e.PositionRange(), "@ modifier must be preceded by an instant selector vector or range vector selector or a subquery")
+		p.addParseErrf(e.PositionRange(), "@ modifier must be preceded by an instant vector selector or range vector selector or a subquery")
 		return nil, nil, nil, false
 	}
 
diff --git a/promql/parser/parse_test.go b/promql/parser/parse_test.go
index d5dcf9ed93..9b3a8c84b5 100644
--- a/promql/parser/parse_test.go
+++ b/promql/parser/parse_test.go
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ var testExpr = []struct {
 	}, {
 		input:  "1 offset 1d",
 		fail:   true,
-		errMsg: "1:1: parse error: offset modifier must be preceded by an instant selector vector or range vector selector or a subquery",
+		errMsg: "1:1: parse error: offset modifier must be preceded by an instant vector selector or range vector selector or a subquery",
 	}, {
 		input:  "foo offset 1s offset 2s",
 		fail:   true,
@@ -2270,7 +2270,7 @@ var testExpr = []struct {
 	}, {
 		input:  `rate(some_metric[5m]) @ 1234`,
 		fail:   true,
-		errMsg: "1:1: parse error: @ modifier must be preceded by an instant selector vector or range vector selector or a subquery",
+		errMsg: "1:1: parse error: @ modifier must be preceded by an instant vector selector or range vector selector or a subquery",
 	},
 	// Test function calls.
 	{