diff --git a/salt/state.py b/salt/state.py
index 25004b6ee1c..d5956981eed 100644
--- a/salt/state.py
+++ b/salt/state.py
@@ -483,24 +483,20 @@ class Compiler:
                     else:
                         fun = 0
                         if "." in state:
+                            # This should not happen usually since `pad_funcs`
+                            # is run on rendered templates
                             fun += 1
                         for arg in body[state]:
                             if isinstance(arg, str):
-                                if "." in state:
+                                fun += 1
+                                if " " in arg.strip():
                                     errors.append(
-                                        "Argument not formed as a dictionary in state "
-                                        f"'{name}' in SLS '{body['__sls__']}': '{arg}'"
+                                        f'The function "{arg}" in state '
+                                        f'"{name}" in SLS "{body["__sls__"]}" has '
+                                        "whitespace, a function with whitespace is "
+                                        "not supported, perhaps this is an argument"
+                                        ' that is missing a ":"'
                                     )
-                                else:
-                                    fun += 1
-                                    if " " in arg.strip():
-                                        errors.append(
-                                            f'The function "{arg}" in state '
-                                            f'"{name}" in SLS "{body["__sls__"]}" has '
-                                            "whitespace, a function with whitespace is "
-                                            "not supported, perhaps this is an argument"
-                                            ' that is missing a ":"'
-                                        )
                             elif isinstance(arg, dict):
                                 # The arg is a dict, if the arg is require or
                                 # watch, it must be a list.
@@ -595,17 +591,22 @@ class Compiler:
                             if state == "require" or state == "watch":
                                 continue
                             errors.append(
-                                "No function declared in state '{}' in SLS '{}'".format(
-                                    state, body["__sls__"]
-                                )
+                                f"No function declared in state '{name}' in SLS "
+                                f"'{body['__sls__']}'"
                             )
                         elif fun > 1:
+                            funs = (
+                                [state.split(".", maxsplit=1)[1]]
+                                if "." in state
+                                else []
+                            )
+                            funs.extend(
+                                arg for arg in body[state] if isinstance(arg, str)
+                            )
                             errors.append(
-                                f"Too many functions declared in state '{state}' in "
-                                f"SLS '{body['__sls__']}'. Please choose one of the following: "
-                                + ", ".join(
-                                    arg for arg in body[state] if isinstance(arg, str)
-                                )
+                                f"Too many functions declared in state '{name}' in "
+                                f"SLS '{body['__sls__']}'. Please choose one of "
+                                "the following: " + ", ".join(funs)
                             )
         return errors
 
@@ -1513,24 +1514,20 @@ class State:
                 else:
                     fun = 0
                     if "." in state:
+                        # This should not happen usually since `_handle_state_decls`
+                        # is run on rendered templates
                         fun += 1
                     for arg in body[state]:
                         if isinstance(arg, str):
-                            if "." in state:
+                            fun += 1
+                            if " " in arg.strip():
                                 errors.append(
-                                    "Argument not formed as a dictionary in state "
-                                    f"'{name}' in SLS '{body['__sls__']}': '{arg}'"
+                                    f'The function "{arg}" in state '
+                                    f'"{name}" in SLS "{body["__sls__"]}" has '
+                                    "whitespace, a function with whitespace is "
+                                    "not supported, perhaps this is an argument"
+                                    ' that is missing a ":"'
                                 )
-                            else:
-                                fun += 1
-                                if " " in arg.strip():
-                                    errors.append(
-                                        f'The function "{arg}" in state '
-                                        f'"{name}" in SLS "{body["__sls__"]}" has '
-                                        "whitespace, a function with whitespace is "
-                                        "not supported, perhaps this is an argument"
-                                        ' that is missing a ":"'
-                                    )
 
                         elif isinstance(arg, dict):
                             # The arg is a dict, if the arg is require or
@@ -1624,17 +1621,16 @@ class State:
                         if state == "require" or state == "watch":
                             continue
                         errors.append(
-                            "No function declared in state '{}' in SLS '{}'".format(
-                                state, body["__sls__"]
-                            )
+                            f"No function declared in state '{name}' in SLS "
+                            f"'{body['__sls__']}'"
                         )
                     elif fun > 1:
+                        funs = [state.split(".", maxsplit=1)[1]] if "." in state else []
+                        funs.extend(arg for arg in body[state] if isinstance(arg, str))
                         errors.append(
-                            f"Too many functions declared in state '{state}' in "
-                            f"SLS '{body['__sls__']}'. Please choose one of the following: "
-                            + ", ".join(
-                                arg for arg in body[state] if isinstance(arg, str)
-                            )
+                            f"Too many functions declared in state '{name}' in "
+                            f"SLS '{body['__sls__']}'. Please choose one of "
+                            "the following: " + ", ".join(funs)
                         )
         return errors
 
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_reactor_compiler.py b/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_reactor_compiler.py
index 36c914232b8..d0f03fbfdb7 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_reactor_compiler.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_reactor_compiler.py
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ def test_compiler_verify_high_short_sls(minion_opts, tmp_path, high, exp):
             },
             [
                 "The require statement in state 'add_test_2' in SLS '/srv/reactor/start.sls' needs to be formed as a list",
-                "Argument not formed as a dictionary in state 'add_test_2' in SLS '/srv/reactor/start.sls': 'cmd.run'",
+                "Too many functions declared in state 'add_test_2' in SLS '/srv/reactor/start.sls'. Please choose one of the following: cmd.run, cmd.run",
             ],
         ),
         (
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_state_compiler.py b/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_state_compiler.py
index 79d3a7e8013..e03d4caee5a 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_state_compiler.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/state/test_state_compiler.py
@@ -1107,11 +1107,11 @@ def test_verify_onlyif_cmd_opts_exclude(minion_opts):
     (
         (
             {"/some/file": {"file.managed": ["source:salt://bla"]}},
-            "Argument not formed as a dictionary",
+            "Too many functions declared in state '/some/file' in SLS 'sls'. Please choose one of the following: managed, source:salt://bla",
         ),
         (
             {"/some/file": {"file": ["managed", "source:salt://bla"]}},
-            "Please choose one of the following: managed, source:salt",
+            "Too many functions declared in state '/some/file' in SLS 'sls'. Please choose one of the following: managed, source:salt://bla",
         ),
     ),
 )