diff --git a/src/caosdb/common/models.py b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
index 3dcc7943d9bd60e62da61a381d1219f1f4f8c5ff..ef2449c7318675f2bde95643f306f4410f518fb0 100644
--- a/src/caosdb/common/models.py
+++ b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
@@ -3481,10 +3481,10 @@ class Query():
 
         if unique:
             if len(cresp) > 1 and raise_exception_on_error:
-                raise AmbiguityException("Query '{}' wasn't unique.".format(q))
+                raise AmbiguityException("Query '{}' wasn't unique.".format(self.q))
             elif len(cresp) == 0 and raise_exception_on_error:
                 ee = EntityDoesNotExistError(
-                    "Query '{}' found no results.".format(q))
+                    "Query '{}' found no results.".format(self.q))
                 raise TransactionError(ee)
             elif len(cresp) == 1:
                 r = cresp[0]