diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index 37151d907..546269896 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -801,7 +801,13 @@ class Metafunc(fixtures.FuncargnamesCompatAttr):
         valtypes = {}
         for arg in argnames:
             if arg not in self.fixturenames:
-                raise ValueError("%r uses no fixture %r" %(self.function, arg))
+                if isinstance(indirect, (tuple, list)):
+                    name = 'fixture' if arg in indirect else 'argument'
+                else:
+                    name = 'fixture' if indirect is True else 'argument'
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "%r uses no %s %r" % (
+                            self.function, name, arg))
 
         if indirect is True:
             valtypes = dict.fromkeys(argnames, "params")
@@ -811,7 +817,7 @@ class Metafunc(fixtures.FuncargnamesCompatAttr):
             valtypes = dict.fromkeys(argnames, "funcargs")
             for arg in indirect:
                 if arg not in argnames:
-                    raise ValueError("indirect given to %r: fixture %r doesn't exist" %(
+                    raise ValueError("indirect given to %r: fixture %r doesn't exist" % (
                                      self.function, arg))
                 valtypes[arg] = "params"
         idfn = None
diff --git a/testing/python/metafunc.py b/testing/python/metafunc.py
index ac8e512d4..1e18dd35d 100644
--- a/testing/python/metafunc.py
+++ b/testing/python/metafunc.py
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class TestMetafunc:
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest("--collect-only")
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
-            "*uses no fixture 'y'*",
+            "*uses no argument 'y'*",
         ])
 
     @pytest.mark.issue714
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ class TestMetafunc:
             def x(request):
                 return request.param * 3
 
-            @pytest.mark.parametrize('x, y', [('a', 'b')], indirect=['x'])
+            @pytest.mark.parametrize('x, y', [('a', 'b')], indirect=['y'])
             def test_simple(x):
                 assert len(x) == 3
         """)
@@ -434,6 +434,23 @@ class TestMetafunc:
             "*uses no fixture 'y'*",
         ])
 
+    @pytest.mark.issue714
+    def test_parametrize_argument_not_in_indirect_list(self, testdir):
+        testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+            @pytest.fixture(scope='function')
+            def x(request):
+                return request.param * 3
+
+            @pytest.mark.parametrize('x, y', [('a', 'b')], indirect=['x'])
+            def test_simple(x):
+                assert len(x) == 3
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest("--collect-only")
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*uses no argument 'y'*",
+        ])
+
     def test_addcalls_and_parametrize_indirect(self):
         def func(x, y): pass
         metafunc = self.Metafunc(func)