Refactor helpers for better readability

**Problem**
When working with utils, the error messages could be more descriptive.

**Suggestion**
Improve error handling and add detailed error messages.

**Context**
This would help with debugging and maintenance.

Start by locating the utils and their current error-handling paths, then inspect where existing errors are produced. The issue does not identify specific files, cases, or expected wording, so clarify those details before making changes. Done means the agreed error messages are more descriptive while existing behavior remains intact.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.