diff --git a/tests/defer/tests.py b/tests/defer/tests.py
index 81f00df12b..0c8320fdf5 100644
--- a/tests/defer/tests.py
+++ b/tests/defer/tests.py
@@ -112,13 +112,19 @@ class DeferTests(AssertionMixin, TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(obj.name, "p1")
 
     def test_defer_select_related_raises_invalid_query(self):
-        # When we defer a field and also select_related it, the query is
-        # invalid and raises an exception.
-        with self.assertRaises(InvalidQuery):
+        msg = (
+            'Field Primary.related cannot be both deferred and traversed '
+            'using select_related at the same time.'
+        )
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(InvalidQuery, msg):
             Primary.objects.defer("related").select_related("related")[0]
 
     def test_only_select_related_raises_invalid_query(self):
-        with self.assertRaises(InvalidQuery):
+        msg = (
+            'Field Primary.related cannot be both deferred and traversed using '
+            'select_related at the same time.'
+        )
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(InvalidQuery, msg):
             Primary.objects.only("name").select_related("related")[0]
 
     def test_defer_foreign_keys_are_deferred_and_not_traversed(self):