diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 34808a7..d2a3904 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -366,6 +366,10 @@ Release Notes
   properly its return type breaking code completion in some LSP servers for the
   returned object.
 
+* Fix ``Box.put()`` and ``picobox.put()`` to require either ``value``
+  or ``factory`` argument. Previously, they could have been invoked with ``key``
+  argument only, which makes no sense and causes runtime issues later on.
+
 3.0.0
 `````
 
diff --git a/src/picobox/_box.py b/src/picobox/_box.py
index cc56892..3c5aaca 100644
--- a/src/picobox/_box.py
+++ b/src/picobox/_box.py
@@ -79,8 +79,14 @@ def put(
             a class that implements :class:`Scope` interface.
         :raises ValueError: If both `value` and `factory` are passed.
         """
-        if value is not _unset and (factory is not _unset or scope is not _unset):
-            raise ValueError("either 'value' or 'factory'/'scope' pair must be passed")
+        if value is _unset and factory is _unset:
+            raise TypeError("Box.put() missing 1 required argument: either 'value' or 'factory'")
+
+        if value is not _unset and factory is not _unset:
+            raise TypeError("Box.put() takes either 'value' or 'factory', not both")
+
+        if value is not _unset and scope is not _unset:
+            raise TypeError("Box.put() takes 'scope' when 'factory' provided")
 
         # Value is a syntax sugar Box supports to store objects "As Is"
         # with singleton scope. In other words it's essentially the same
diff --git a/tests/test_box.py b/tests/test_box.py
index 3609373..9b7cfb4 100644
--- a/tests/test_box.py
+++ b/tests/test_box.py
@@ -96,28 +96,43 @@ def fn(a):
     assert testbox.get("b") == 14
 
 
+def test_box_put_value_factory_required(boxclass):
+    testbox = boxclass()
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
+        testbox.put("the-key")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == (
+        "Box.put() missing 1 required argument: either 'value' or 'factory'"
+    )
+
+
 def test_box_put_value_and_factory(boxclass):
     testbox = boxclass()
 
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
         testbox.put("the-key", 42, factory=object)
-    excinfo.match("either 'value' or 'factory'/'scope' pair must be passed")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "Box.put() takes either 'value' or 'factory', not both"
 
 
 def test_box_put_value_and_scope(boxclass):
     testbox = boxclass()
 
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
         testbox.put("the-key", 42, scope=picobox.threadlocal)
-    excinfo.match("either 'value' or 'factory'/'scope' pair must be passed")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "Box.put() takes 'scope' when 'factory' provided"
 
 
 def test_box_get_keyerror(boxclass):
     testbox = boxclass()
 
-    with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="the-key"):
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError) as excinfo:
         testbox.get("the-key")
 
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "'the-key'"
+
 
 def test_box_get_default(boxclass):
     testbox = boxclass()
@@ -421,7 +436,7 @@ def fn(a, b):
     with pytest.raises(KeyError) as excinfo:
         fn(1)
 
-    excinfo.match("b")
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "'b'"
 
 
 def test_box_pass_optimization(boxclass, request):
diff --git a/tests/test_stack.py b/tests/test_stack.py
index 30965b9..a6be870 100644
--- a/tests/test_stack.py
+++ b/tests/test_stack.py
@@ -70,22 +70,36 @@ def fn(a):
         assert teststack.get("b") == 14
 
 
+def test_box_put_value_factory_required(boxclass, teststack):
+    testbox = boxclass()
+
+    with teststack.push(testbox):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
+            teststack.put("the-key")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == (
+        "Box.put() missing 1 required argument: either 'value' or 'factory'"
+    )
+
+
 def test_box_put_value_and_factory(boxclass, teststack):
     testbox = boxclass()
 
     with teststack.push(testbox):
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
             teststack.put("the-key", 42, factory=object)
-    excinfo.match("either 'value' or 'factory'/'scope' pair must be passed")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "Box.put() takes either 'value' or 'factory', not both"
 
 
 def test_box_put_value_and_scope(boxclass, teststack):
     testbox = boxclass()
 
     with teststack.push(testbox):
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError) as excinfo:
             teststack.put("the-key", 42, scope=picobox.threadlocal)
-    excinfo.match("either 'value' or 'factory'/'scope' pair must be passed")
+
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == "Box.put() takes 'scope' when 'factory' provided"
 
 
 def test_box_put_runtimeerror(boxclass, teststack):