diff --git a/src/cli/config-set-mode.test.ts b/src/cli/config-set-mode.test.ts
index 062f8f2e9aa..3c73e0c9baf 100644
--- a/src/cli/config-set-mode.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/config-set-mode.test.ts
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ describe("resolveConfigSetMode", () => {
       hasProviderBuilderOptions: true,
       strictJson: false,
     });
-    expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
-    expect(result).toMatchObject({
-      error: expect.stringContaining("choose exactly one mode"),
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error:
+        "choose exactly one mode: ref builder (--ref-provider/--ref-source/--ref-id) or provider builder (--provider-*), not both.",
     });
   });
 
@@ -72,9 +73,10 @@ describe("resolveConfigSetMode", () => {
       hasProviderBuilderOptions: false,
       strictJson: false,
     });
-    expect(result.ok).toBe(false);
-    expect(result).toMatchObject({
-      error: expect.stringContaining("batch mode (--batch-json/--batch-file) cannot be combined"),
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error:
+        "batch mode (--batch-json/--batch-file) cannot be combined with ref builder (--ref-*) or provider builder (--provider-*) flags.",
     });
   });
 });