diff --git a/man/useradd.8.xml b/man/useradd.8.xml
index b96a4d3c..3371a95d 100644
--- a/man/useradd.8.xml
+++ b/man/useradd.8.xml
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@
 	<varlistentry>
 	  <term><replaceable>9</replaceable></term>
 	  <listitem>
-	    <para>username already in use</para>
+	    <para>username or group name already in use</para>
 	  </listitem>
 	</varlistentry>
 	<varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/useradd.c b/src/useradd.c
index ce78eab1..6eaeb533 100644
--- a/src/useradd.c
+++ b/src/useradd.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ static bool home_added = false;
 #define E_BAD_ARG	3	/* invalid argument to option */
 #define E_UID_IN_USE	4	/* UID already in use (and no -o) */
 #define E_NOTFOUND	6	/* specified group doesn't exist */
-#define E_NAME_IN_USE	9	/* username already in use */
+#define E_NAME_IN_USE	9	/* username or group name already in use */
 #define E_GRP_UPDATE	10	/* can't update group file */
 #define E_HOMEDIR	12	/* can't create home directory */
 #define E_MAILBOXFILE	13	/* can't create mailbox file */
diff --git a/src/usermod.c b/src/usermod.c
index e90b7057..44e056ae 100644
--- a/src/usermod.c
+++ b/src/usermod.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 /* #define E_BAD_PWFILE	5	   passwd file contains errors */
 #define E_NOTFOUND	6	/* specified user/group doesn't exist */
 #define E_USER_BUSY	8	/* user to modify is logged in */
-#define E_NAME_IN_USE	9	/* username already in use */
+#define E_NAME_IN_USE	9	/* username or group name already in use */
 #define E_GRP_UPDATE	10	/* can't update group file */
 /* #define E_NOSPACE	11	   insufficient space to move home dir */
 #define E_HOMEDIR	12	/* unable to complete home dir move */