diff --git a/src/Config.php b/src/Config.php
index 4a7d99c5de..2dc808601d 100644
--- a/src/Config.php
+++ b/src/Config.php
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ public function processLongArgument($arg, $pos)
                 foreach ($sniffs as $sniff) {
                     if (substr_count($sniff, '.') !== 2) {
                         $error  = 'ERROR: The specified sniff code "'.$sniff.'" is invalid'.PHP_EOL.PHP_EOL;
+                        $error .= 'Perhaps try following sniff code: '.$this->getSuggestedSniffCode($sniff).PHP_EOL.PHP_EOL;
                         $error .= $this->printShortUsage(true);
                         throw new DeepExitException($error, 3);
                     }
@@ -850,6 +851,7 @@ public function processLongArgument($arg, $pos)
                 foreach ($sniffs as $sniff) {
                     if (substr_count($sniff, '.') !== 2) {
                         $error  = 'ERROR: The specified sniff code "'.$sniff.'" is invalid'.PHP_EOL.PHP_EOL;
+                        $error .= 'Perhaps try following sniff code: '.$this->getSuggestedSniffCode($sniff).PHP_EOL.PHP_EOL;
                         $error .= $this->printShortUsage(true);
                         throw new DeepExitException($error, 3);
                     }
@@ -1354,6 +1356,23 @@ public function printShortUsage($return=false)
     }//end printShortUsage()
 
 
+    /**
+     * Suggest a sniff code by only combining first three elements.
+     *
+     * @param string $sniff Sniff code
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function getSuggestedSniffCode($sniff)
+    {
+        $elements = explode('.', $sniff);
+        $elements = array_slice($elements, 0, 3);
+
+        return implode('.', $elements);
+
+    }//end getSuggestedSniffCode()
+
+
     /**
      * Prints out the usage information for PHPCS.
      *