diff --git a/torch/csrc/autograd/functions/utils.cpp b/torch/csrc/autograd/functions/utils.cpp
index 485572d9ee812..a753492683617 100644
--- a/torch/csrc/autograd/functions/utils.cpp
+++ b/torch/csrc/autograd/functions/utils.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ void check_input_variables(const char* name, const variable_list& inputs, int ar
   for (int i = 0; i < required_args; ++i) {
     if (!inputs[i].defined()) {
       std::stringstream ss;
-      ss << name << ": expected Variable at argument " << i << " (got None)";
+      ss << name << ": expected Tensor at argument " << i << " (got None)";
       throw std::runtime_error(ss.str());
     }
   }
diff --git a/torch/csrc/utils/python_arg_parser.h b/torch/csrc/utils/python_arg_parser.h
index d7c9114ecc58f..ac98098af80b3 100644
--- a/torch/csrc/utils/python_arg_parser.h
+++ b/torch/csrc/utils/python_arg_parser.h
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ inline at::Tensor PythonArgs::tensor(int i) {
     // a test for Py_None here; instead, you need to mark the argument
     // as *allowing none*; you can do this by writing 'Tensor?' instead
     // of 'Tensor' in the ATen metadata.
-    throw TypeError("expected Variable as argument %d, but got %s", i,
+    throw TypeError("expected Tensor as argument %d, but got %s", i,
         Py_TYPE(args[i])->tp_name);
   }
   return reinterpret_cast<THPVariable*>(args[i])->cdata;
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ inline std::vector<at::Tensor> PythonArgs::tensorlist(int i) {
   for (int idx = 0; idx < size; idx++) {
     PyObject* obj = tuple ? PyTuple_GET_ITEM(arg, idx) : PyList_GET_ITEM(arg, idx);
     if (!THPVariable_Check(obj)) {
-      throw TypeError("expected Variable as element %d in argument %d, but got %s",
+      throw TypeError("expected Tensor as element %d in argument %d, but got %s",
                  idx, i, Py_TYPE(args[i])->tp_name);
     }
     res[idx] = reinterpret_cast<THPVariable*>(obj)->cdata;
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ inline std::array<at::Tensor, N> PythonArgs::tensorlist_n(int i) {
   for (int idx = 0; idx < size; idx++) {
     PyObject* obj = tuple ? PyTuple_GET_ITEM(arg, idx) : PyList_GET_ITEM(arg, idx);
     if (!THPVariable_Check(obj)) {
-      throw TypeError("expected Variable as element %d in argument %d, but got %s",
+      throw TypeError("expected Tensor as element %d in argument %d, but got %s",
                  idx, i, Py_TYPE(args[i])->tp_name);
     }
     res[idx] = reinterpret_cast<THPVariable*>(obj)->cdata;