diff --git a/src/V3Width.cpp b/src/V3Width.cpp
index d0226f4e5..a8ad15b01 100644
--- a/src/V3Width.cpp
+++ b/src/V3Width.cpp
@@ -3938,11 +3938,13 @@ private:
         userIterateChildren(nodep, WidthVP(SELF, BOTH).p());
         if (!m_paramsOnly) {
             V3Const::constifyParamsEdit(nodep->fmtp());  // fmtp may change
+            string text = nodep->fmtp()->text();
+            if (text.empty()) text = "Elaboration system task message (IEEE 1800-2017 20.11)";
             switch (nodep->displayType()) {
-            case AstDisplayType::DT_INFO: nodep->v3warn(USERINFO, nodep->fmtp()->text()); break;
-            case AstDisplayType::DT_ERROR: nodep->v3warn(USERERROR, nodep->fmtp()->text()); break;
-            case AstDisplayType::DT_WARNING: nodep->v3warn(USERWARN, nodep->fmtp()->text()); break;
-            case AstDisplayType::DT_FATAL: nodep->v3warn(USERFATAL, nodep->fmtp()->text()); break;
+            case AstDisplayType::DT_INFO: nodep->v3warn(USERINFO, text); break;
+            case AstDisplayType::DT_ERROR: nodep->v3warn(USERERROR, text); break;
+            case AstDisplayType::DT_WARNING: nodep->v3warn(USERWARN, text); break;
+            case AstDisplayType::DT_FATAL: nodep->v3warn(USERFATAL, text); break;
             default: UASSERT_OBJ(false, nodep, "Unexpected elaboration display type");
             }
             VL_DO_DANGLING(nodep->unlinkFrBack()->deleteTree(), nodep);
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.out b/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.out
index 13838eddd..5cf3179a8 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.out
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.out
@@ -1,34 +1,34 @@
--Info: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:10:7: 
+-Info: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:10:7: Elaboration system task message (IEEE 1800-2017 20.11)
                                  : ... In instance t
    10 |       $info;
       |       ^~~~~
--Info: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:11:7: User compile-time info
+-Info: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:11:7: User elaboration-time info
                                  : ... In instance t
-   11 |       $info("User compile-time info");
+   11 |       $info("User elaboration-time info");
       |       ^~~~~
-%Warning-USERWARN: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:12:7: 
+%Warning-USERWARN: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:12:7: Elaboration system task message (IEEE 1800-2017 20.11)
                                              : ... In instance t
    12 |       $warning;
       |       ^~~~~~~~
                    ... Use "/* verilator lint_off USERWARN */" and lint_on around source to disable this message.
-%Warning-USERWARN: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:13:7: User compile-time warning
+%Warning-USERWARN: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:13:7: User elaboration-time warning
                                              : ... In instance t
-   13 |       $warning("User compile-time warning");
+   13 |       $warning("User elaboration-time warning");
       |       ^~~~~~~~
 %Warning-USERWARN: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:14:7:           1
                                              : ... In instance t
    14 |       $warning(1);   
       |       ^~~~~~~~
-%Warning-USERERROR: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:15:7: 
+%Warning-USERERROR: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:15:7: Elaboration system task message (IEEE 1800-2017 20.11)
                                               : ... In instance t
    15 |       $error;
       |       ^~~~~~
-%Warning-USERERROR: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:16:7: User compile-time error
+%Warning-USERERROR: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:16:7: User elaboration-time error
                                               : ... In instance t
-   16 |       $error("User compile-time error");
+   16 |       $error("User elaboration-time error");
       |       ^~~~~~
-%Warning-USERFATAL: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:17:7: 
+%Warning-USERFATAL: t/t_assert_comp_bad.v:17:7: User elaboration-time fatal
                                               : ... In instance t
-   17 |       $fatal;
+   17 |       $fatal(0, "User elaboration-time fatal");
       |       ^~~~~~
 %Error: Exiting due to
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.v b/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.v
index 22434a8ff..b8bcb1bb3 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.v
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_assert_comp_bad.v
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ module t (/*AUTOARG*/);
 
    if (1) begin
       $info;
-      $info("User compile-time info");
+      $info("User elaboration-time info");
       $warning;
-      $warning("User compile-time warning");
+      $warning("User elaboration-time warning");
       $warning(1);  // Check can convert arguments to format
       $error;
-      $error("User compile-time error");
-      $fatal;
+      $error("User elaboration-time error");
+      $fatal(0, "User elaboration-time fatal");
    end
 
 endmodule