diff --git a/plugins/Alias.py b/plugins/Alias.py
index 5f056b119..a707049f4 100644
--- a/plugins/Alias.py
+++ b/plugins/Alias.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def makeNewAlias(name, alias):
             everythingReplace(tokens)
         Owner = irc.getCallback('Owner')
         self.Proxy(irc.irc, msg, tokens)
-    doc ='<an alias, %s>\n\nAlias for %r' % \
+    doc ='<an alias, %s>\n\nAlias for <<%s>>' % \
           (utils.nItems('argument', biggestDollar), alias)
     f = utils.changeFunctionName(f, name, doc)
     return f
diff --git a/src/Misc.py b/src/Misc.py
index f2fceaf6e..f46dd3367 100755
--- a/src/Misc.py
+++ b/src/Misc.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class Misc(callbacks.Privmsg):
         channel = msg.args[0]
         if conf.get(conf.supybot.reply.whenNotCommand, channel):
             command = tokens and tokens[0] or ''
-            irc.errorInvalid('command', command)
+            irc.errorInvalid('command', command, repr=False)
         else:
             if tokens:
                 # echo [] will get us an empty token set, but there's no need
diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index 3d3f2da70..fe2da53c8 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -479,13 +479,18 @@ class RichReplyMethods(object):
         v = self._getConfig(conf.supybot.replies.requiresPrivacy)
         self._error(self.__makeReply(v, s), **kwargs)
 
-    def errorInvalid(self, what, given=None, s='', **kwargs):
+    def errorInvalid(self, what, given=None, s='', repr=True, **kwargs):
         if given is not None:
-            v = '%r is not a valid %s.' % (given, what)
+            if repr:
+                given = _repr(given)
+            else:
+                given = '"%s"' % given
+            v = '%s is not a valid %s.' % (given, what)
         else:
             v = 'That\'s not a valid %s.' % what
         self._error(self.__makeReply(v, s), **kwargs)
 
+_repr = repr
 
 class IrcObjectProxy(RichReplyMethods):
     "A proxy object to allow proper nested of commands (even threaded ones)."