diff --git a/src/atom.cpp b/src/atom.cpp
index 34ea253751..dfea9348c9 100644
--- a/src/atom.cpp
+++ b/src/atom.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "math_const.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 #ifdef LMP_USER_INTEL
 #include "neigh_request.h"
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ AtomVec *Atom::new_avec(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return avec_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  error->all(FLERR,"Unknown atom style");
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("atom",style,lmp).c_str());
   return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/atom_vec_body.cpp b/src/atom_vec_body.cpp
index 893a4c7dc4..d5f286c077 100644
--- a/src/atom_vec_body.cpp
+++ b/src/atom_vec_body.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "fix.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ void AtomVecBody::process_args(int narg, char **arg)
 #undef BodyStyle
 #undef BODY_CLASS
 
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Unknown body style");
+  else error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("body",arg[0],lmp).c_str());
 
   bptr->avec = this;
   icp = bptr->icp;
diff --git a/src/domain.cpp b/src/domain.cpp
index 86c4eb2c02..8c3ec97946 100644
--- a/src/domain.cpp
+++ b/src/domain.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "math_const.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 using namespace MathConst;
@@ -1714,6 +1715,9 @@ void Domain::add_region(int narg, char **arg)
     return;
   }
 
+  if (strcmp(arg[1],"none") == 0)
+    error->all(FLERR,"Unrecognized region style 'none'");
+
   if (find_region(arg[0]) >= 0) error->all(FLERR,"Reuse of region ID");
 
   // extend Region list if necessary
@@ -1752,12 +1756,10 @@ void Domain::add_region(int narg, char **arg)
     }
   }
 
-  if (strcmp(arg[1],"none") == 0) error->all(FLERR,"Unknown region style");
   if (region_map->find(arg[1]) != region_map->end()) {
     RegionCreator region_creator = (*region_map)[arg[1]];
     regions[nregion] = region_creator(lmp, narg, arg);
-  }
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Unknown region style");
+  } else error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("region",arg[1],lmp).c_str());
 
   // initialize any region variables via init()
   // in case region is used between runs, e.g. to print a variable
diff --git a/src/force.cpp b/src/force.cpp
index 7ff5096ee4..2691cb3fd8 100644
--- a/src/force.cpp
+++ b/src/force.cpp
@@ -258,9 +258,7 @@ Pair *Force::new_pair(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return pair_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown pair style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("pair",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -373,9 +371,7 @@ Bond *Force::new_bond(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return bond_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown bond style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("bond",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -454,9 +450,7 @@ Angle *Force::new_angle(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return angle_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown angle style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("angle",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -536,9 +530,7 @@ Dihedral *Force::new_dihedral(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return dihedral_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown dihedral style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("dihedral",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -617,9 +609,7 @@ Improper *Force::new_improper(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return improper_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown improper style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("improper",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -702,9 +692,7 @@ KSpace *Force::new_kspace(const char *style, int trysuffix, int &sflag)
     return kspace_creator(lmp);
   }
 
-  char str[128];
-  sprintf(str,"Unknown kspace style %s",style);
-  error->all(FLERR,str);
+  error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("kspace",style,lmp).c_str());
 
   return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/modify.cpp b/src/modify.cpp
index 7f43f035d2..69cdb424b2 100644
--- a/src/modify.cpp
+++ b/src/modify.cpp
@@ -893,11 +893,8 @@ void Modify::add_fix(int narg, char **arg, int trysuffix)
     fix[ifix] = fix_creator(lmp,narg,arg);
   }
 
-  if (fix[ifix] == NULL) {
-    char str[128];
-    snprintf(str,128,"Unknown fix style %s",arg[2]);
-    error->all(FLERR,str);
-  }
+  if (fix[ifix] == NULL)
+    error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("fix",arg[2],lmp).c_str());
 
   // check if Fix is in restart_global list
   // if yes, pass state info to the Fix so it can reset itself
@@ -1195,11 +1192,8 @@ void Modify::add_compute(int narg, char **arg, int trysuffix)
     compute[ncompute] = compute_creator(lmp,narg,arg);
   }
 
-  if (compute[ncompute] == NULL) {
-    char str[128];
-    snprintf(str,128,"Unknown compute style %s",arg[2]);
-    error->all(FLERR,str);
-  }
+  if (compute[ncompute] == NULL)
+    error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("compute",arg[2],lmp).c_str());
 
   ncompute++;
 }
diff --git a/src/output.cpp b/src/output.cpp
index 884647f478..2dcf18e7eb 100644
--- a/src/output.cpp
+++ b/src/output.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "write_restart.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
@@ -585,8 +586,7 @@ void Output::add_dump(int narg, char **arg)
   if (dump_map->find(arg[2]) != dump_map->end()) {
     DumpCreator dump_creator = (*dump_map)[arg[2]];
     dump[ndump] = dump_creator(lmp, narg, arg);
-  }
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Unknown dump style");
+  } else error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("dump",arg[2],lmp).c_str());
 
   every_dump[ndump] = force->inumeric(FLERR,arg[3]);
   if (every_dump[ndump] <= 0) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal dump command");
diff --git a/src/read_dump.cpp b/src/read_dump.cpp
index 7a05f4b1b5..395f4c8edd 100644
--- a/src/read_dump.cpp
+++ b/src/read_dump.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "variable.h"
 #include "error.h"
 #include "memory.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ void ReadDump::setup_reader(int narg, char **arg)
 
   // unrecognized style
 
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Unknown dump reader style");
+  else error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("reader",readerstyle,lmp).c_str());
 
   // pass any arguments to readers
 
diff --git a/src/utils.cpp b/src/utils.cpp
index 42140db0ba..8468b22d8c 100644
--- a/src/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/utils.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ void utils::sfgets(const char *srcname, int srcline, char *s, int size,
 std::string utils::check_packages_for_style(std::string style,
                                             std::string name, LAMMPS *lmp)
 {
-  std::string errmsg = "Unrecognized " + style + " style " + name;
+  std::string errmsg = "Unrecognized " + style + " style '" + name + "'";
   const char *pkg = lmp->match_style(style.c_str(),name.c_str());
 
   if (pkg) {
diff --git a/src/write_dump.cpp b/src/write_dump.cpp
index 6c7375012e..072680a8a5 100644
--- a/src/write_dump.cpp
+++ b/src/write_dump.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "input.h"
 #include "update.h"
 #include "error.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ void WriteDump::command(int narg, char **arg)
 #include "style_dump.h"
 #undef DUMP_CLASS
 
-  else error->all(FLERR,"Unknown dump style");
+  else error->all(FLERR,utils::check_packages_for_style("dump",arg[1],lmp).c_str());
 
   if (modindex < narg) dump->modify_params(narg-modindex-1,&arg[modindex+1]);