diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
index 2f28975dd066..e0e43169820a 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
@@ -444,6 +444,12 @@ object Contexts {
     def useColors: Boolean =
       base.settings.color.value == "always"
 
+    def withColors: FreshContext =
+      fresh.setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "always")
+
+    def withoutColors: FreshContext =
+      fresh.setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "never")
+
     /** Is the explicit nulls option set? */
     def explicitNulls: Boolean = base.settings.YexplicitNulls.value
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/inlines/Inlines.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/inlines/Inlines.scala
index f504a4034631..36dc8a642afc 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/inlines/Inlines.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/inlines/Inlines.scala
@@ -381,8 +381,7 @@ object Inlines:
 
     /** Expand call to scala.compiletime.codeOf */
     def codeOf(arg: Tree, pos: SrcPos)(using Context): Tree =
-      val ctx1 = ctx.fresh.setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "never")
-      Literal(Constant(arg.show(using ctx1))).withSpan(pos.span)
+      Literal(Constant(arg.show(using ctx.withoutColors))).withSpan(pos.span)
   end Intrinsics
 
   /** Produces an inlined version of `call` via its `inlined` method.
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessageID.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessageID.scala
index 65ebeb02c667..1fe38ce5e801 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessageID.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessageID.scala
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ enum ErrorMessageID(val isActive: Boolean = true) extends java.lang.Enum[ErrorMe
   case ValueDiscardingID // errorNumber 175
   case UnusedNonUnitValueID // errorNumber 176
   case ConstrProxyShadowsID // errorNumber 177
+  case MissingArgumentListID // errorNumber: 178
 
   def errorNumber = ordinal - 1
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/messages.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/messages.scala
index 9875c508c9fd..fba08fd84d0c 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/messages.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/messages.scala
@@ -1501,6 +1501,16 @@ class MissingArgument(pname: Name, methString: String)(using Context)
     else s"missing argument for parameter $pname of $methString"
   def explain(using Context) = ""
 
+class MissingArgumentList(method: String, sym: Symbol)(using Context)
+  extends TypeMsg(MissingArgumentListID) {
+  def msg(using Context) =
+    val symDcl = if sym.exists then "\n\n  " + hl(sym.showDcl(using ctx.withoutColors)) else ""
+    i"missing argument list for $method$symDcl"
+  def explain(using Context) = {
+    i"""Unapplied methods are only converted to functions when a function type is expected."""
+  }
+}
+
 class DoesNotConformToBound(tpe: Type, which: String, bound: Type)(using Context)
   extends TypeMismatchMsg(
     if which == "lower" then bound else tpe,
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/ErrorReporting.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/ErrorReporting.scala
index 32b5fde689ec..126d109889e1 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/ErrorReporting.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/ErrorReporting.scala
@@ -41,12 +41,24 @@ object ErrorReporting {
     errorType(WrongNumberOfTypeArgs(fntpe, expectedArgs, actual), pos)
 
   def missingArgs(tree: Tree, mt: Type)(using Context): Unit =
+    def isCallableWithoutArgumentsLists(mt: Type): Boolean = mt match
+        case pt: PolyType => isCallableWithoutArgumentsLists(pt.resType)
+        case mt: MethodType if mt.isImplicitMethod => isCallableWithoutArgumentsLists(mt.resType)
+        case mt: MethodType => false
+        case _ => true
+    def isCallableWithSingleEmptyArgumentList(mt: Type): Boolean =
+      mt match
+        case mt: MethodType if mt.paramNames.isEmpty => isCallableWithoutArgumentsLists(mt.resType)
+        case mt: MethodType if mt.isImplicitMethod => isCallableWithSingleEmptyArgumentList(mt.resType)
+        case pt: PolyType => isCallableWithSingleEmptyArgumentList(pt.resType)
+        case _ => false
     val meth = err.exprStr(methPart(tree))
-    mt match
-      case mt: MethodType if mt.paramNames.isEmpty =>
-        report.error(MissingEmptyArgumentList(meth), tree.srcPos)
-      case _ =>
-        report.error(em"missing arguments for $meth", tree.srcPos)
+    val info = if tree.symbol.exists then tree.symbol.info else mt
+    if isCallableWithSingleEmptyArgumentList(info) then
+      report.error(MissingEmptyArgumentList(meth), tree.srcPos)
+    else
+      report.error(MissingArgumentList(meth, tree.symbol), tree.srcPos)
+
 
   def matchReductionAddendum(tps: Type*)(using Context): String =
     val collectMatchTrace = new TypeAccumulator[String]:
diff --git a/compiler/src/scala/quoted/runtime/impl/QuotesImpl.scala b/compiler/src/scala/quoted/runtime/impl/QuotesImpl.scala
index a575238f7cd4..1949304ca287 100644
--- a/compiler/src/scala/quoted/runtime/impl/QuotesImpl.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/scala/quoted/runtime/impl/QuotesImpl.scala
@@ -3080,7 +3080,7 @@ class QuotesImpl private (using val ctx: Context) extends Quotes, QuoteUnpickler
 
       lazy val ConstantCode: Printer[Constant] = new Printer[Constant]:
         def show(const: Constant): String =
-          const.show(using ctx.fresh.setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "never"))
+          const.show(using ctx.withoutColors)
 
       lazy val ConstantStructure: Printer[Constant] = new Printer[Constant]:
         def show(const: Constant): String =
diff --git a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/SyntaxHighlightingTests.scala b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/SyntaxHighlightingTests.scala
index 2f35ccb35434..2e4b7bf1bb3f 100644
--- a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/SyntaxHighlightingTests.scala
+++ b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/SyntaxHighlightingTests.scala
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ class SyntaxHighlightingTests extends DottyTest {
   import SyntaxHighlighting._
 
   private def test(source: String, expected: String): Unit = {
-    val testCtx = ctx.fresh.setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "always")
-    val highlighted = SyntaxHighlighting.highlight(source)(using testCtx)
+    val highlighted = SyntaxHighlighting.highlight(source)(using ctx.withColors)
       .replace(NoColor,         ">")
       .replace(CommentColor,    "<C|")
       .replace(KeywordColor,    "<K|")
diff --git a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessagesTest.scala b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessagesTest.scala
index 5d3a7994cc47..33c740d3edf8 100644
--- a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessagesTest.scala
+++ b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/dotc/reporting/ErrorMessagesTest.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ trait ErrorMessagesTest extends DottyTest {
   protected def newContext = {
     val rep = new StoreReporter(null)
               with UniqueMessagePositions with HideNonSensicalMessages
-    initialCtx.setReporter(rep).setSetting(ctx.settings.color, "never")
+    initialCtx.setReporter(rep).withoutColors
   }
 
   class Report(messages: List[Message], ictx: Context) {
diff --git a/tests/neg/i16820.check b/tests/neg/i16820.check
index f51bfafef899..48824d683244 100644
--- a/tests/neg/i16820.check
+++ b/tests/neg/i16820.check
@@ -1,18 +1,30 @@
--- Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:5:11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:5:11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 5 |  val x1 = f  // error
   |           ^
-  |           missing arguments for method f in object Test
+  |           missing argument list for method f in object Test
+  |
+  |             def f(xs: Int*): Int
+  |
+  | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
 -- [E100] Syntax Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:6:11 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 6 |  val x2 = g  // error
   |           ^
   |           method g in object Test must be called with () argument
   |
   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
--- Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:7:40 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:7:40 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 7 |  val x3 = java.nio.file.Paths.get(".").toRealPath // error
   |           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-  |           missing arguments for method toRealPath in trait Path
--- Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:11:14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  |           missing argument list for method toRealPath in trait Path
+  |
+  |             def toRealPath(x$0: java.nio.file.LinkOption*): java.nio.file.Path
+  |
+  | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i16820.scala:11:14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 11 |def test = Foo(3)  // error
    |           ^^^^^^
-   |           missing arguments for method apply in object Foo
+   |           missing argument list for method apply in object Foo
+   |
+   |             def apply(x: Int)(xs: String*): Foo
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
diff --git a/tests/neg/i17123.check b/tests/neg/i17123.check
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e858de67b73a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/neg/i17123.check
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+-- [E100] Syntax Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:7:2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+7 |  m1 // error
+  |  ^^
+  |  method m1 in object ConfusingErrorMessage must be called with () argument
+  |
+  | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:9:2 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+9 |  m2 // error
+  |  ^^
+  |  missing argument list for method m2 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+  |
+  |    def m2()(): Unit
+  |
+  | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:10:4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+10 |  m2() // error
+   |  ^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method m2 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def m2()(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:11:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+11 |  m3 // error
+   |  ^^
+   |  missing argument list for method m3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def m3()()(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:12:4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+12 |  m3() // error
+   |  ^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method m3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def m3()()(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:13:6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+13 |  m3()() // error
+   |  ^^^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method m3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def m3()()(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:15:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+15 |  f3 // error
+   |  ^^
+   |  missing argument list for method f3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def f3()(i: Int)(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:16:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+16 |  f3() // error
+   |  ^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method f3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def f3()(i: Int)(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:17:6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+17 |  f3()(2) // error
+   |  ^^^^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method f3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def f3()(i: Int)(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:19:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+19 |  i3 // error
+   |  ^^
+   |  missing argument list for method i3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def i3()(using d: DummyImplicit)(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/i17123.scala:20:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+20 |  i3() // error
+   |  ^^^^
+   |  missing argument list for method i3 in object ConfusingErrorMessage
+   |
+   |    def i3()(using d: DummyImplicit)(): Unit
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
diff --git a/tests/neg/i17123.scala b/tests/neg/i17123.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6547a375fec3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/neg/i17123.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+object ConfusingErrorMessage {
+  def m1() = ()
+  def m2()() = ()
+  def m3()()() = ()
+  def f3()(i: Int)() = ()
+  def i3()(using d: DummyImplicit)() = ()
+  m1 // error
+  m1()
+  m2 // error
+  m2() // error
+  m3 // error
+  m3() // error
+  m3()() // error
+  m3()()()
+  f3 // error
+  f3() // error
+  f3()(2) // error
+  f3()(2)()
+  i3 // error
+  i3() // error
+  i3()()
+}
diff --git a/tests/neg/i7816.scala b/tests/neg/i7816.scala
index f1eed694a085..41dd6c2ea98e 100644
--- a/tests/neg/i7816.scala
+++ b/tests/neg/i7816.scala
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 object A {
     def f()(>) = ???     // error
-    import f.NonExistent // error
+    import f.NonExistent
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/neg/indent-colons.check b/tests/neg/indent-colons.check
index 102d41592014..f77d491f8b8f 100644
--- a/tests/neg/indent-colons.check
+++ b/tests/neg/indent-colons.check
@@ -47,15 +47,31 @@
    |             Not found: file
    |
    | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
--- Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:5:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:5:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 5 |  tryEither:  // error
   |  ^^^^^^^^^
-  |  missing arguments for method tryEither
--- Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:11:2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  |  missing argument list for method tryEither
+  |
+  |    def tryEither[T](x: T)(y: Int => T): T
+  |
+  |  where:    T is a type variable
+  |
+  | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:11:2 ---------------------------------------------------------------
 11 |  tryEither:  // error
    |  ^^^^^^^^^
-   |  missing arguments for method tryEither
--- Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:18:2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   |  missing argument list for method tryEither
+   |
+   |    def tryEither[T](x: T)(y: Int => T): T
+   |
+   |  where:    T is a type variable
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
+-- [E178] Type Error: tests/neg/indent-colons.scala:18:2 ---------------------------------------------------------------
 18 |  Some(3).fold:  // error
    |  ^^^^^^^^^^^^
-   |  missing arguments for method fold in class Option
+   |  missing argument list for method fold in class Option
+   |
+   |    final def fold[B](ifEmpty: => B)(f: A => B): B
+   |
+   | longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`