diff --git a/gas/ChangeLog b/gas/ChangeLog
index b38c379a21..4c370a6ba5 100644
--- a/gas/ChangeLog
+++ b/gas/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2021-01-04  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
+
+	PR 27102
+	* symbols.c (S_SET_EXTERNAL): Revise section symbol warning
+	message and register symbol error message.
+
 2021-01-04  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
 
 	PR 27101
diff --git a/gas/symbols.c b/gas/symbols.c
index f6e4b718ef..289ccbee8e 100644
--- a/gas/symbols.c
+++ b/gas/symbols.c
@@ -2431,14 +2431,13 @@ S_SET_EXTERNAL (symbolS *s)
   if (s->bsym->flags & BSF_SECTION_SYM)
     {
       /* Do not reassign section symbols.  */
-      as_warn (_("section symbols are already global"));
+      as_warn (_("can't make section symbol global"));
       return;
     }
 #ifndef TC_GLOBAL_REGISTER_SYMBOL_OK
   if (S_GET_SEGMENT (s) == reg_section)
     {
-      as_bad ("can't make register symbol `%s' global",
-	      S_GET_NAME (s));
+      as_bad (_("can't make register symbol global"));
       return;
     }
 #endif