diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/project/ProjectConfig.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/project/ProjectConfig.java
index 513aeed..975ad52 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/project/ProjectConfig.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/project/ProjectConfig.java
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@
   public static final String KEY_BRANCH = "branch";
 
   public static final String SUBMIT_REQUIREMENT = "submit-requirement";
-  public static final String KEY_SR_NAME = "name";
   public static final String KEY_SR_DESCRIPTION = "description";
   public static final String KEY_SR_APPLICABILITY_EXPRESSION = "applicableIf";
   public static final String KEY_SR_SUBMITTABILITY_EXPRESSION = "submittableIf";
@@ -643,7 +642,7 @@
     if (rc.getStringList(ACCESS, null, KEY_INHERIT_FROM).length > 1) {
       // The config must not contain more than one parent to inherit from
       // as there is no guarantee which of the parents would be used then.
-      error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, "Cannot inherit from multiple projects"));
+      error("Cannot inherit from multiple projects");
     }
     p.setParent(rc.getString(ACCESS, null, KEY_INHERIT_FROM));
 
@@ -696,10 +695,8 @@
       String lower = name.toLowerCase();
       if (lowerNames.containsKey(lower)) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format(
-                    "Extension Panels \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\"", name, lowerNames.get(lower))));
+            String.format(
+                "Extension Panels \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\"", name, lowerNames.get(lower)));
       }
       lowerNames.put(lower, name);
       extensionPanelSections.put(
@@ -725,26 +722,14 @@
         ca.setAutoVerify(null);
       } else if (rules.size() > 1) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                "Invalid rule in "
-                    + CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT
-                    + "."
-                    + name
-                    + "."
-                    + KEY_AUTO_VERIFY
-                    + ": at most one group may be set"));
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid rule in %s.%s.%s: at most one group may be set",
+                CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT, name, KEY_AUTO_VERIFY));
       } else if (rules.get(0).getAction() != Action.ALLOW) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                "Invalid rule in "
-                    + CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT
-                    + "."
-                    + name
-                    + "."
-                    + KEY_AUTO_VERIFY
-                    + ": the group must be allowed"));
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid rule in %s.%s.%s: the group must be allowed",
+                CONTRIBUTOR_AGREEMENT, name, KEY_AUTO_VERIFY));
       } else {
         ca.setAutoVerify(rules.get(0).getGroup());
       }
@@ -792,21 +777,16 @@
           if (ref.getUUID() != null) {
             n.addGroup(ref);
           } else {
-            error(
-                ValidationError.create(
-                    PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                    "group \"" + ref.getName() + "\" not in " + GroupList.FILE_NAME));
+            error(String.format("group \"%s\" not in %s", ref.getName(), GroupList.FILE_NAME));
           }
         } else if (dst.startsWith("user ")) {
-          error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, dst + " not supported"));
+          error(String.format("%s not supported", dst));
         } else {
           try {
             n.addAddress(Address.parse(dst));
           } catch (IllegalArgumentException err) {
             error(
-                ValidationError.create(
-                    PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                    "notify section \"" + sectionName + "\" has invalid email \"" + dst + "\""));
+                String.format("notify section \"%s\" has invalid email \"%s\"", sectionName, dst));
           }
         }
       }
@@ -867,7 +847,7 @@
     try {
       RefPattern.validateRegExp(refPattern);
     } catch (InvalidNameException e) {
-      error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, "Invalid ref name: " + e.getMessage()));
+      error(String.format("Invalid ref name: %s", e.getMessage()));
       return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -895,9 +875,7 @@
         // to fail fast if any of the patterns are invalid.
         patterns.add(Pattern.compile(patternString).pattern());
       } catch (PatternSyntaxException e) {
-        error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG, "Invalid regular expression: " + e.getMessage()));
+        error(String.format("Invalid regular expression: %s", e.getMessage()));
         continue;
       }
     }
@@ -924,15 +902,11 @@
         rule = PermissionRule.fromString(ruleString, useRange);
       } catch (IllegalArgumentException notRule) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                "Invalid rule in "
-                    + section
-                    + (subsection != null ? "." + subsection : "")
-                    + "."
-                    + varName
-                    + ": "
-                    + notRule.getMessage()));
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid rule in %s.%s: %s",
+                section + (subsection != null ? "." + subsection : ""),
+                varName,
+                notRule.getMessage()));
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -943,9 +917,7 @@
         // all rules in the same file share the same GroupReference.
         //
         ref = groupList.resolve(rule.getGroup());
-        error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG, "group \"" + ref.getName() + "\" not in " + GroupList.FILE_NAME));
+        error(String.format("group \"%s\" not in %s", ref.getName(), GroupList.FILE_NAME));
       }
 
       perm.add(rule.toBuilder().setGroup(ref));
@@ -970,11 +942,9 @@
       String lower = name.toLowerCase();
       if (lowerNames.containsKey(lower)) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format(
-                    "Submit requirement \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\". Skipping the former.",
-                    name, lowerNames.get(lower))));
+            String.format(
+                "Submit requirement \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\". Skipping the former.",
+                name, lowerNames.get(lower)));
         continue;
       }
       lowerNames.put(lower, name);
@@ -987,12 +957,10 @@
 
       if (blockExpr == null) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                (String.format(
-                    "Submit requirement \"%s\" does not define a submittability expression."
-                        + " Skipping this requirement.",
-                    name))));
+            String.format(
+                "Submit requirement \"%s\" does not define a submittability expression."
+                    + " Skipping this requirement.",
+                name));
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -1019,10 +987,7 @@
     for (String name : rc.getSubsections(LABEL)) {
       String lower = name.toLowerCase();
       if (lowerNames.containsKey(lower)) {
-        error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format("Label \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\"", name, lowerNames.get(lower))));
+        error(String.format("Label \"%s\" conflicts with \"%s\"", name, lowerNames.get(lower)));
       }
       lowerNames.put(lower, name);
 
@@ -1034,18 +999,13 @@
           if (allValues.add(labelValue.getValue())) {
             values.add(labelValue);
           } else {
-            error(
-                ValidationError.create(
-                    PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                    String.format("Duplicate %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_VALUE, value, name)));
+            error(String.format("Duplicate %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_VALUE, value, name));
           }
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException notValue) {
           error(
-              ValidationError.create(
-                  PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                  String.format(
-                      "Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\": %s",
-                      KEY_VALUE, value, name, notValue.getMessage())));
+              String.format(
+                  "Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\": %s",
+                  KEY_VALUE, value, name, notValue.getMessage()));
         }
       }
 
@@ -1053,7 +1013,7 @@
       try {
         label = LabelType.builder(name, values);
       } catch (IllegalArgumentException badName) {
-        error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, String.format("Invalid label \"%s\"", name)));
+        error(String.format("Invalid label \"%s\"", name));
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -1064,11 +1024,9 @@
               : Optional.of(LabelFunction.MAX_WITH_BLOCK);
       if (!function.isPresent()) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format(
-                    "Invalid %s for label \"%s\". Valid names are: %s",
-                    KEY_FUNCTION, name, Joiner.on(", ").join(LabelFunction.ALL.keySet()))));
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid %s for label \"%s\". Valid names are: %s",
+                KEY_FUNCTION, name, Joiner.on(", ").join(LabelFunction.ALL.keySet())));
       }
       label.setFunction(function.orElse(null));
       label.setCopyCondition(rc.getString(LABEL, name, KEY_COPY_CONDITION));
@@ -1078,11 +1036,7 @@
         if (isInRange(dv, values)) {
           label.setDefaultValue(dv);
         } else {
-          error(
-              ValidationError.create(
-                  PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                  String.format(
-                      "Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_DEFAULT_VALUE, dv, name)));
+          error(String.format("Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_DEFAULT_VALUE, dv, name));
         }
       }
       label.setAllowPostSubmit(
@@ -1131,18 +1085,13 @@
           short copyValue = Shorts.checkedCast(PermissionRule.parseInt(value));
           if (!copyValues.add(copyValue)) {
             error(
-                ValidationError.create(
-                    PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                    String.format(
-                        "Duplicate %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_COPY_VALUE, value, name)));
+                String.format("Duplicate %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\"", KEY_COPY_VALUE, value, name));
           }
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException notValue) {
           error(
-              ValidationError.create(
-                  PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                  String.format(
-                      "Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\": %s",
-                      KEY_COPY_VALUE, value, name, notValue.getMessage())));
+              String.format(
+                  "Invalid %s \"%s\" for label \"%s\": %s",
+                  KEY_COPY_VALUE, value, name, notValue.getMessage()));
         }
       }
       label.setCopyValues(copyValues);
@@ -1177,18 +1126,14 @@
         commentLinkSections.put(name, buildCommentLink(rc, name, false));
       } catch (PatternSyntaxException e) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format(
-                    "Invalid pattern \"%s\" in commentlink.%s.match: %s",
-                    rc.getString(COMMENTLINK, name, KEY_MATCH), name, e.getMessage())));
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid pattern \"%s\" in commentlink.%s.match: %s",
+                rc.getString(COMMENTLINK, name, KEY_MATCH), name, e.getMessage()));
       } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
         error(
-            ValidationError.create(
-                PROJECT_CONFIG,
-                String.format(
-                    "Error in pattern \"%s\" in commentlink.%s.match: %s",
-                    rc.getString(COMMENTLINK, name, KEY_MATCH), name, e.getMessage())));
+            String.format(
+                "Error in pattern \"%s\" in commentlink.%s.match: %s",
+                rc.getString(COMMENTLINK, name, KEY_MATCH), name, e.getMessage()));
       }
     }
   }
@@ -1230,9 +1175,7 @@
         if (groupName != null) {
           GroupReference ref = groupList.byName(groupName);
           if (ref == null) {
-            error(
-                ValidationError.create(
-                    PROJECT_CONFIG, "group \"" + groupName + "\" not in " + GroupList.FILE_NAME));
+            error(String.format("group \"%s\" not in %s", groupName, GroupList.FILE_NAME));
           }
           rc.setString(PLUGIN, plugin, name, value);
         }
@@ -1782,11 +1725,15 @@
     try {
       return rc.getEnum(section, subsection, name, defaultValue);
     } catch (IllegalArgumentException err) {
-      error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, err.getMessage()));
+      error(err.getMessage());
       return defaultValue;
     }
   }
 
+  private void error(String errorMessage) {
+    error(ValidationError.create(PROJECT_CONFIG, errorMessage));
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void error(ValidationError error) {
     if (validationErrors == null) {