diff --git a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender.go b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender.go
index 473d55fbc11..c1cf3848641 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender.go
+++ b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender.go
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ func (qCfg *QueueConfig) Validate() error {
 	}
 
 	if qCfg.QueueSize <= 0 {
-		return errors.New("queue size must be positive")
+		return errors.New("`queue_size` must be positive")
 	}
 
 	if qCfg.NumConsumers <= 0 {
-		return errors.New("number of queue consumers must be positive")
+		return errors.New("`num_consumers` must be positive")
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender_test.go b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender_test.go
index 3a55fb09024..10959a0ef83 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender_test.go
+++ b/exporter/exporterhelper/internal/queue_sender_test.go
@@ -313,12 +313,12 @@ func TestQueueConfig_Validate(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, qCfg.Validate())
 
 			qCfg.QueueSize = 0
-			require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "queue size must be positive")
+			require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "`queue_size` must be positive")
 
 			qCfg = NewDefaultQueueConfig()
 			qCfg.NumConsumers = 0
 
-			require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "number of queue consumers must be positive")
+			require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "`num_consumers` must be positive")
 
 			// Confirm Validate doesn't return error with invalid config when feature is disabled
 			qCfg.Enabled = false
diff --git a/exporter/exporterqueue/config.go b/exporter/exporterqueue/config.go
index b8a2c01e5bb..538c08b08d8 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterqueue/config.go
+++ b/exporter/exporterqueue/config.go
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ func (qCfg *Config) Validate() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	if qCfg.NumConsumers <= 0 {
-		return errors.New("number of consumers must be positive")
+		return errors.New("`num_consumers` must be positive")
 	}
 	if qCfg.QueueSize <= 0 {
-		return errors.New("queue size must be positive")
+		return errors.New("`queue_size` must be positive")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/exporter/exporterqueue/config_test.go b/exporter/exporterqueue/config_test.go
index 7679242631c..8f3de1e96cf 100644
--- a/exporter/exporterqueue/config_test.go
+++ b/exporter/exporterqueue/config_test.go
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ func TestQueueConfig_Validate(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, qCfg.Validate())
 
 	qCfg.NumConsumers = 0
-	require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "number of consumers must be positive")
+	require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "`num_consumers` must be positive")
 
 	qCfg = NewDefaultConfig()
 	qCfg.QueueSize = 0
-	require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "queue size must be positive")
+	require.EqualError(t, qCfg.Validate(), "`queue_size` must be positive")
 
 	// Confirm Validate doesn't return error with invalid config when feature is disabled
 	qCfg.Enabled = false