diff --git a/functions.cpp b/functions.cpp
index 373339a3..2e9c2b52 100644
--- a/functions.cpp
+++ b/functions.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ PyObject* function::call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const
                 message += description_as_string(desc);
                 message += ",\nbut got ";
                 tuple arguments(ref(args, ref::increment_count));
-                message += argument_tuple_as_string(arguments);
+                message += arguments_as_string(arguments);
                 message += " instead.";
                 PyErr_SetObject(PyExc_TypeError, message.get());
             }
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ PyObject* function::call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const
     message += " matches argument(s):\n";
     
     tuple arguments(ref(args, ref::increment_count));
-    message += argument_tuple_as_string(arguments);
+    message += arguments_as_string(arguments);
 
     message += "\nCandidates are:\n";
     for (const function* f1 = this; f1 != 0; f1 = f1->m_overloads.get())
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ PyObject* function::call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const
     return 0;
 }
 
+string function::arguments_as_string(tuple arguments) const
+{
+    return argument_tuple_as_string(arguments);
+}
+
 bound_function* bound_function::create(const ref& target, const ref& fn)
 {
     bound_function* const result = free_list;
diff --git a/functions.h b/functions.h
index acf883b5..ebcb52e2 100644
--- a/functions.h
+++ b/functions.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class function : public python_object
  
  protected:   
     virtual PyObject* description() const = 0;
+    virtual string arguments_as_string(tuple args) const;
  private:
     virtual PyObject* do_call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const = 0;
     virtual string function_name() const = 0;
diff --git a/gen_init_function.py b/gen_init_function.py
index 984a3d4b..45ca5c20 100644
--- a/gen_init_function.py
+++ b/gen_init_function.py
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ private: // override function hook
     PyObject* do_call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const;
 private:
     virtual instance_holder_base* create_holder(extension_instance* self, PyObject* tail_args, PyObject* keywords) const = 0;
+    string arguments_as_string(tuple arguments) const;
 };
 """ + gen_functions("""
 
diff --git a/init_function.cpp b/init_function.cpp
index f29e914a..9a257d63 100644
--- a/init_function.cpp
+++ b/init_function.cpp
@@ -33,4 +33,9 @@ namespace python { namespace detail {
       return none();
   }
 
+    string init::arguments_as_string(tuple arguments) const
+    {
+        return argument_tuple_as_string(arguments.slice(1, arguments.size()));
+    }
+
 }} // namespace python::detail
diff --git a/init_function.h b/init_function.h
index 016e47f7..495e92cf 100644
--- a/init_function.h
+++ b/init_function.h
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ private: // override function hook
     PyObject* do_call(PyObject* args, PyObject* keywords) const;
 private:
     virtual instance_holder_base* create_holder(extension_instance* self, PyObject* tail_args, PyObject* keywords) const = 0;
+    string arguments_as_string(tuple arguments) const;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/test_extclass.py b/test_extclass.py
index cc6b2267..8682ec6e 100644
--- a/test_extclass.py
+++ b/test_extclass.py
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ a single long parameter.
     ...     print str(err)
     ... else: print 'no exception'
     'demo.Foo.__init__' expected argument(s) (int),
-    but got (demo.Foo) instead.
+    but got () instead.
     >>> try: ext = Foo('foo')
     ... except TypeError, err:
     ...     print str(err)
     ... else: print 'no exception'
     'demo.Foo.__init__' expected argument(s) (int),
-    but got (demo.Foo, string) instead.
+    but got (string) instead.
     >>> ext = Foo(1)
 
 Call a virtual function. This call takes a trip into C++ where
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ Some simple overloading tests:
     ...     print str(err)
     ... else: print 'no exception'
     No variant of overloaded function 'demo.Range.__init__' matches argument(s):
-    (demo.Range, string)
+    (string)
     Candidates are:
     (int)
     (int, int)
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ Testing overloaded constructors
     ... else:
     ...     print 'no exception'
     No variant of overloaded function 'demo.OverloadTest.__init__' matches argument(s):
-    (demo.OverloadTest, int, string)
+    (int, string)
     Candidates are:
     ()
     (demo.OverloadTest)