diff --git a/cli/src/template_builder.rs b/cli/src/template_builder.rs
index 167ebbec6..f453ce09e 100644
--- a/cli/src/template_builder.rs
+++ b/cli/src/template_builder.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 use itertools::Itertools as _;
 use jj_lib::backend::{Signature, Timestamp};
+use jj_lib::dsl_util::AliasExpandError as _;
 
 use crate::template_parser::{
     self, BinaryOp, ExpressionKind, ExpressionNode, FunctionCallNode, TemplateAliasesMap,
diff --git a/cli/src/template_parser.rs b/cli/src/template_parser.rs
index 0b7844d9e..04d186354 100644
--- a/cli/src/template_parser.rs
+++ b/cli/src/template_parser.rs
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ use std::{error, mem};
 
 use itertools::Itertools as _;
 use jj_lib::dsl_util::{
-    self, collect_similar, AliasDeclaration, AliasDeclarationParser, AliasExpandableExpression,
-    AliasId, AliasesMap, InvalidArguments, StringLiteralParser,
+    self, collect_similar, AliasDeclaration, AliasDeclarationParser, AliasExpandError,
+    AliasExpandableExpression, AliasId, AliasesMap, InvalidArguments, StringLiteralParser,
 };
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use pest::iterators::{Pair, Pairs};
@@ -160,16 +160,6 @@ impl TemplateParseError {
         TemplateParseError::with_span(TemplateParseErrorKind::Expression(message.into()), span)
     }
 
-    pub fn within_alias_expansion(self, id: AliasId<'_>, span: pest::Span<'_>) -> Self {
-        let kind = match id {
-            AliasId::Symbol(_) | AliasId::Function(_) => {
-                TemplateParseErrorKind::BadAliasExpansion(id.to_string())
-            }
-            AliasId::Parameter(_) => TemplateParseErrorKind::BadParameterExpansion(id.to_string()),
-        };
-        TemplateParseError::with_span(kind, span).with_source(self)
-    }
-
     /// If this is a `NoSuchKeyword` error, expands the candidates list with the
     /// given `other_keywords`.
     pub fn extend_keyword_candidates<I>(mut self, other_keywords: I) -> Self
@@ -218,6 +208,26 @@ impl TemplateParseError {
     }
 }
 
+impl AliasExpandError for TemplateParseError {
+    fn invalid_arguments(err: InvalidArguments<'_>) -> Self {
+        err.into()
+    }
+
+    fn recursive_expansion(id: AliasId<'_>, span: pest::Span<'_>) -> Self {
+        Self::with_span(TemplateParseErrorKind::RecursiveAlias(id.to_string()), span)
+    }
+
+    fn within_alias_expansion(self, id: AliasId<'_>, span: pest::Span<'_>) -> Self {
+        let kind = match id {
+            AliasId::Symbol(_) | AliasId::Function(_) => {
+                TemplateParseErrorKind::BadAliasExpansion(id.to_string())
+            }
+            AliasId::Parameter(_) => TemplateParseErrorKind::BadParameterExpansion(id.to_string()),
+        };
+        Self::with_span(kind, span).with_source(self)
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<pest::error::Error<Rule>> for TemplateParseError {
     fn from(err: pest::error::Error<Rule>) -> Self {
         TemplateParseError {
@@ -546,10 +556,7 @@ pub fn expand_aliases<'i>(
     ) -> TemplateParseResult<ExpressionKind<'i>> {
         // The stack should be short, so let's simply do linear search and duplicate.
         if state.aliases_expanding.contains(&id) {
-            return Err(TemplateParseError::with_span(
-                TemplateParseErrorKind::RecursiveAlias(id.to_string()),
-                span,
-            ));
+            return Err(TemplateParseError::recursive_expansion(id, span));
         }
         let mut aliases_expanding = state.aliases_expanding.to_vec();
         aliases_expanding.push(id);
diff --git a/lib/src/dsl_util.rs b/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
index fcc75202f..ed2f987bd 100644
--- a/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
+++ b/lib/src/dsl_util.rs
@@ -276,6 +276,16 @@ pub trait AliasExpandableExpression<'i>: Sized {
     fn alias_expanded(id: AliasId<'i>, subst: Box<ExpressionNode<'i, Self>>) -> Self;
 }
 
+/// Error that may occur during alias substitution.
+pub trait AliasExpandError: Sized {
+    /// Unexpected number of arguments, or invalid combination of arguments.
+    fn invalid_arguments(err: InvalidArguments<'_>) -> Self;
+    /// Recursion detected during alias substitution.
+    fn recursive_expansion(id: AliasId<'_>, span: pest::Span<'_>) -> Self;
+    /// Attaches alias trace to the current error.
+    fn within_alias_expansion(self, id: AliasId<'_>, span: pest::Span<'_>) -> Self;
+}
+
 /// Collects similar names from the `candidates` list.
 pub fn collect_similar<I>(name: &str, candidates: I) -> Vec<String>
 where