diff --git a/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/errorsas.go b/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/errorsas.go
index b80271afb9..384f025570 100644
--- a/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/errorsas.go
+++ b/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/errorsas.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func run(pass *analysis.Pass) (interface{}, error) {
 			return // not enough arguments, e.g. called with return values of another function
 		}
 		if fn.FullName() == "errors.As" && !pointerToInterfaceOrError(pass, call.Args[1]) {
-			pass.ReportRangef(call, "second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error")
+			pass.ReportRangef(call, "second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type")
 		}
 	})
 	return nil, nil
diff --git a/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/testdata/src/a/a.go b/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/testdata/src/a/a.go
index d13dee264f..c987a8a650 100644
--- a/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/testdata/src/a/a.go
+++ b/go/analysis/passes/errorsas/testdata/src/a/a.go
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ func _() {
 	errors.As(nil, perr()) // *error, via a call
 	errors.As(nil, ei)     //  empty interface
 
-	errors.As(nil, nil) // want `second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error`
-	errors.As(nil, e)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error`
-	errors.As(nil, m)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error`
-	errors.As(nil, f)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error`
-	errors.As(nil, &i)  // want `second argument to errors.As must be a pointer to an interface or a type implementing error`
+	errors.As(nil, nil) // want `second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type`
+	errors.As(nil, e)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type`
+	errors.As(nil, m)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type`
+	errors.As(nil, f)   // want `second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type`
+	errors.As(nil, &i)  // want `second argument to errors.As must be a non-nil pointer to either a type that implements error, or to any interface type`
 	errors.As(two())
 }