diff --git a/shared-bindings/bleio/CharacteristicBuffer.c b/shared-bindings/bleio/CharacteristicBuffer.c
index 32629ca193..66d164954e 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/bleio/CharacteristicBuffer.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/bleio/CharacteristicBuffer.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t bleio_characteristic_buffer_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type,
 
     const int buffer_size = args[ARG_buffer_size].u_int;
     if (buffer_size < 1) {
-        mp_raise_ValueError(translate("buffer_size must be >= 1"));
+        mp_raise_ValueError_varg(translate("%q must be >= 1"), MP_QSTR_buffer_size);
     }
 
     if (!MP_OBJ_IS_TYPE(characteristic, &bleio_characteristic_type)) {
diff --git a/shared-bindings/displayio/Shape.c b/shared-bindings/displayio/Shape.c
index 6824b1feff..faa9472fa6 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/displayio/Shape.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/displayio/Shape.c
@@ -64,11 +64,20 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t displayio_shape_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_arg
     mp_arg_val_t args[MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args)];
     mp_arg_parse_all(n_args, pos_args, kw_args, MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args), allowed_args, args);
 
+    mp_int_t width = args[ARG_width].u_int;
+    if (width < 1) {
+        mp_raise_ValueError_varg(translate("%q must be >= 1"), MP_QSTR_width);
+    }
+    mp_int_t height = args[ARG_height].u_int;
+    if (height < 1) {
+        mp_raise_ValueError_varg(translate("%q must be >= 1"), MP_QSTR_height);
+    }
+
     displayio_shape_t *self = m_new_obj(displayio_shape_t);
     self->base.type = &displayio_shape_type;
     common_hal_displayio_shape_construct(self,
-        args[ARG_width].u_int,
-        args[ARG_height].u_int,
+        width,
+        height,
         args[ARG_mirror_x].u_bool,
         args[ARG_mirror_y].u_bool);