diff --git a/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp b/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
index beec9dbca..43595eb41 100644
--- a/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
+++ b/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
@@ -370,13 +370,17 @@ identify(const string &filename) {
 int64_t
 parse_number_with_unit(const string &s,
                        const string &subject,
-                       const string &argument) {
+                       const string &argument,
+                       string display_s = "") {
   string unit;
   int64_t value, multiplier, unit_length;
 
+  if (display_s == "")
+    display_s = s;
+
   if (s.length() < 3)
     mxerror(_("'%s' is not a valid %s in '%s %s'.\n"),
-            s.c_str(), subject.c_str(), argument.c_str(), s.c_str());
+            s.c_str(), subject.c_str(), argument.c_str(), display_s.c_str());
 
   unit = s.substr(s.length() - 2, 2);
 
@@ -392,11 +396,12 @@ parse_number_with_unit(const string &s,
     unit_length = 1;
   else
     mxerror(_("'%s' does not contain a valid unit ('s', 'ms', 'us' or 'ns') "
-              "in '%s %s'.\n"), s.c_str(), argument.c_str(), s.c_str());
+              "in '%s %s'.\n"), s.c_str(), argument.c_str(),
+            display_s.c_str());
 
   if (!parse_int(s.substr(0, s.length() - unit_length), value))
     mxerror(_("'%s' does not contain a valid number in front of the unit in "
-              "'%s %s'.\n"), s.c_str(), argument.c_str(), s.c_str());
+              "'%s %s'.\n"), s.c_str(), argument.c_str(), display_s.c_str());
   value *= multiplier;
 
   return value;
@@ -814,7 +819,7 @@ parse_delay(const string &s,
   if (!parse_int(parts[0], delay.id))
     mxerror(_("Invalid track ID specified in '--delay %s'.\n"), s.c_str());
 
-  delay.delay = parse_number_with_unit(parts[1], "delay", "--delay");
+  delay.delay = parse_number_with_unit(parts[1], "delay", "--delay", s);
 
   ti.packet_delays.push_back(delay);
 }