diff --git a/src/json.hpp b/src/json.hpp
index ebf7dc7542..517558c291 100644
--- a/src/json.hpp
+++ b/src/json.hpp
@@ -11132,7 +11132,8 @@ class basic_json
             name_separator,  ///< the name separator `:`
             value_separator, ///< the value separator `,`
             parse_error,     ///< indicating a parse error
-            end_of_input     ///< indicating the end of the input buffer
+            end_of_input,    ///< indicating the end of the input buffer
+            literal_or_value ///< a literal or the begin of a value (only for diagnostics)
         };
 
         /// return name of values of type token_type (only used for errors)
@@ -11170,6 +11171,8 @@ class basic_json
                     return "<parse error>";
                 case token_type::end_of_input:
                     return "end of input";
+                case token_type::literal_or_value:
+                    return "'[', '{', or a literal";
                 default:
                 {
                     // catch non-enum values
@@ -12903,10 +12906,16 @@ class basic_json
                     break;
                 }
 
+                case lexer::token_type::parse_error:
+                {
+                    // using "uninitialized" to avoid "expected" message
+                    expect(lexer::token_type::uninitialized);
+                }
+
                 default:
                 {
-                    // the last token was unexpected
-                    unexpect();
+                    // we expected a value
+                    expect(lexer::token_type::literal_or_value);
                 }
             }
 
@@ -13060,15 +13069,6 @@ class basic_json
             }
         }
 
-        /*!
-        @throw parse_error.101 if unexpected token occurred
-        */
-        void unexpect()
-        {
-            errored = true;
-            throw_exception();
-        }
-
         [[noreturn]] void throw_exception() const
         {
             std::string error_msg = "syntax error - ";
diff --git a/test/src/unit-class_parser.cpp b/test/src/unit-class_parser.cpp
index a95d164202..1cca2adf15 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-class_parser.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-class_parser.cpp
@@ -694,15 +694,15 @@ TEST_CASE("parser class")
         CHECK_THROWS_AS(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("[1,]"))).parse(), json::parse_error);
         CHECK_THROWS_AS(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("]"))).parse(), json::parse_error);
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("["))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 2: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 2: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("[1"))).parse(),
                           "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 3: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected ']'");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("[1,"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 4: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 4: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("[1,]"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 4: syntax error - unexpected ']'");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 4: syntax error - unexpected ']'; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("]"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected ']'");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected ']'; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
 
         // missing/unexpected end of object
         CHECK_THROWS_AS(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("{"))).parse(), json::parse_error);
@@ -716,13 +716,13 @@ TEST_CASE("parser class")
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("{\"foo\""))).parse(),
                           "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 7: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected ':'");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("{\"foo\":"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 8: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 8: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("{\"foo\":}"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 8: syntax error - unexpected '}'");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 8: syntax error - unexpected '}'; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("{\"foo\":1,}"))).parse(),
                           "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 10: syntax error - unexpected '}'; expected string literal");
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("}"))).parse(),
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected '}'");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected '}'; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
 
         // missing/unexpected end of string
         CHECK_THROWS_AS(json::parser(json::input_adapter::create(std::string("\""))).parse(), json::parse_error);
diff --git a/test/src/unit-regression.cpp b/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
index 4d1231c220..d4017c7afc 100644
--- a/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
+++ b/test/src/unit-regression.cpp
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
         // a parse error because of the EOF.
         CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
         CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                          "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
     }
 
     SECTION("issue #367 - behavior of operator>> should more closely resemble that of built-in overloads")
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
             json j;
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("(whitespace)")
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
             json j;
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("one value")
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("one value + whitespace")
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("whitespace + one value")
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("three values")
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("literals without whitespace")
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("example from #529")
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests")
 
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(ss >> j, json::parse_error);
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH(ss >> j,
-                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input");
+                              "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at 1: syntax error - unexpected end of input; expected '[', '{', or a literal");
         }
 
         SECTION("second example from #529")