diff --git a/lib/level-browser.js b/lib/level-browser.js
index 506df2d..53b0f43 100644
--- a/lib/level-browser.js
+++ b/lib/level-browser.js
@@ -608,12 +608,6 @@ class IteratorOptions {
       this.values = options.values;
     }
 
-    if (options.start != null)
-      this.start = options.start;
-
-    if (options.end != null)
-      this.end = options.end;
-
     if (options.gte != null)
       this.start = options.gte;
 
@@ -633,13 +627,13 @@ class IteratorOptions {
     if (this.start != null) {
       if (typeof this.start === 'string')
         this.start = Buffer.from(this.start, 'utf8');
-      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.start), '`start` must be a Buffer.');
+      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.start), '`gt(e)` must be a Buffer.');
     }
 
     if (this.end != null) {
       if (typeof this.end === 'string')
         this.end = Buffer.from(this.end, 'utf8');
-      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.end), '`end` must be a Buffer.');
+      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.end), '`lt(e)` must be a Buffer.');
     }
 
     if (options.keyAsBuffer != null) {
diff --git a/lib/memdb.js b/lib/memdb.js
index b7a657e..87cc845 100644
--- a/lib/memdb.js
+++ b/lib/memdb.js
@@ -616,12 +616,6 @@ class IteratorOptions {
       this.values = options.values;
     }
 
-    if (options.start != null)
-      this.start = options.start;
-
-    if (options.end != null)
-      this.end = options.end;
-
     if (options.gte != null)
       this.start = options.gte;
 
@@ -641,13 +635,13 @@ class IteratorOptions {
     if (this.start != null) {
       if (typeof this.start === 'string')
         this.start = Buffer.from(this.start, 'utf8');
-      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.start), '`start` must be a Buffer.');
+      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.start), '`gt(e)` must be a Buffer.');
     }
 
     if (this.end != null) {
       if (typeof this.end === 'string')
         this.end = Buffer.from(this.end, 'utf8');
-      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.end), '`end` must be a Buffer.');
+      assert(Buffer.isBuffer(this.end), '`lt(e)` must be a Buffer.');
     }
 
     if (options.keyAsBuffer != null) {