diff --git a/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py b/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py
index 9ce6bb311..20f9c2f94 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py
@@ -413,8 +413,9 @@ def _resolve_actor_name(
     raw_name = config_blob.get("name")
     if not raw_name or not isinstance(raw_name, str) or not raw_name.strip():
         raise typer.BadParameter(
-            f"Missing actor name. Provide it either as the positional NAME "
-            f"argument to `agents actor add`, or via a 'name' field inside "
+            f"Actor name is required: missing required 'name' field. "
+            f"Provide it either as the positional NAME argument to "
+            f"`agents actor add`, or via a 'name' field inside "
             f"{config_path} (e.g. ``name: local/my-actor`` at the top of the "
             "YAML / JSON document)."
         )