diff --git a/mercurial/error.py b/mercurial/error.py
--- a/mercurial/error.py
+++ b/mercurial/error.py
@@ -297,9 +297,12 @@
     def __init__(self, function, symbols):
         from .i18n import _
 
-        ParseError.__init__(self, _(b"unknown identifier: %s") % function)
-        self.function = function
-        self.symbols = symbols
+        similar = getsimilar(symbols, function)
+        hint = similarity_hint(similar)
+
+        ParseError.__init__(
+            self, _(b"unknown identifier: %s") % function, hint=hint
+        )
 
 
 class RepoError(Hint, Exception):
diff --git a/mercurial/scmutil.py b/mercurial/scmutil.py
--- a/mercurial/scmutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/scmutil.py
@@ -150,13 +150,7 @@
         )
     else:
         write(_(b"hg: parse error: %s\n") % inst.message)
-    if isinstance(inst, error.UnknownIdentifier):
-        # make sure to check fileset first, as revset can invoke fileset
-        similar = error.getsimilar(inst.symbols, inst.function)
-        hint = error.similarity_hint(similar)
-        if hint:
-            write(b"(%s)\n" % hint)
-    elif inst.hint:
+    if inst.hint:
         write(_(b"(%s)\n") % inst.hint)