diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/makemigrations.py b/django/core/management/commands/makemigrations.py
index f218c417c0..da5a2bd257 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/makemigrations.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/makemigrations.py
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                 for app, names in conflicts.items()
             )
             raise CommandError(
-                "Conflicting migrations detected (%s).\nTo fix them run "
+                "Conflicting migrations detected; multiple leaf nodes in the "
+                "migration graph: (%s).\nTo fix them run "
                 "'python manage.py makemigrations --merge'" % name_str
             )
 
diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/migrate.py b/django/core/management/commands/migrate.py
index 2f048240b5..622627142f 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/migrate.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/migrate.py
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                 for app, names in conflicts.items()
             )
             raise CommandError(
-                "Conflicting migrations detected (%s).\nTo fix them run "
+                "Conflicting migrations detected; multiple leaf nodes in the "
+                "migration graph: (%s).\nTo fix them run "
                 "'python manage.py makemigrations --merge'" % name_str
             )