diff --git a/core/commands/id.go b/core/commands/id.go
index 9816f7096b1..8920c90921f 100644
--- a/core/commands/id.go
+++ b/core/commands/id.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 	identify "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/protocol/identify"
 )
 
-const offlineIdErrorMessage = "'ipfs id' cannot query information on remote peers without a running daemon; use the --offline option instead."
+const offlineIdErrorMessage = "'ipfs id' cannot query information on remote peers without a running daemon; if you only want to convert --peerid-base, pass --offline option."
 
 type IdOutput struct {
 	ID              string
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh b/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
index d30454700e9..6f37120e059 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ test_expect_success "checking ID of self" '
   test_cmp expected-id actual-id
 '
 
-test_expect_success "checking ID of random peer offline" '
+test_expect_success "checking and converting ID of a random peer while offline" '
   # Peer ID taken from `t0140-swarm.sh` test.
   echo k2k4r8ncs1yoluq95unsd7x2vfhgve0ncjoggwqx9vyh3vl8warrcp15 > expected-id &&
   ipfs id -f "<id>\n" --peerid-base base36 --offline QmYyQSo1c1Ym7orWxLYvCrM2EmxFTANf8wXmmE7DWjhx5N > actual-id &&