diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
index 61238ecbc..65eb23f2a 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
@@ -636,8 +636,8 @@ discriminateByDate tx
   | True                         = do
       when (any (isJust . pdate) $ tpostings tx) $
         throwError $ unlines $
-        ["Sorry, a dated posting with a balance assignment and no explicit amount is not"
-        ,"allowed. Write the amount, or remove the posting date or balance assignment:\n"
+        ["postings may not have both a custom date and a balance assignment."
+        ,"Write the posting amount explicitly, or remove the posting date:\n"
         , showTransaction tx]
       return 
         [(tdate tx, Right $ tx { tpostings = removePrices <$> tpostings tx })]
diff --git a/tests/journal/balance-assertions.test b/tests/journal/balance-assertions.test
index 0570ab983..cffefdbdd 100755
--- a/tests/journal/balance-assertions.test
+++ b/tests/journal/balance-assertions.test
@@ -222,17 +222,17 @@ hledger -f - stats
 >>> /Transactions/
 >>>2
 >>>=0
-# 12. Having both assignements and posting dates is not supported.
+# 12. Having both assignments and posting dates is not supported.
 hledger -f - stats
 <<<
 2013/1/1
   a    $1  =$1
   b         =$-1  ; date:2012/1/1
 
->>>2  /Not supported/
+>>>2  /postings may not have both a custom date and a balance assignment/
 >>>=1
 
-# 13. Having both assignements and posting dates is not supported.
+# 13. Having both assignments and posting dates is not supported.
 hledger -f - stats
 <<<
 
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ hledger -f - stats
   d      = 3
 
 
->>>2  /Not supported/
+>>>2  /postings may not have both a custom date and a balance assignment/
 >>>=1
 
 # 14. Posting Date