diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 00d832e34..78ff3aa75 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # dbplyr (development version)
 
-* Tightened argument checks for Snowflake SQL translations. These changes should 
-  result in more informative errors in cases where code already failed; if you
-  see errors with code that used to run without issue, please report them to
-  the package authors (@simonpcouch, #1554).
+* Tightened argument checks for SQL translations. These changes should 
+  result in more informative errors in cases where code already failed, possibly
+  silently; if you see errors with code that used to run correctly, please report 
+  them to the package authors (@simonpcouch, #1554, #1555).
 
 * `clock::add_years()` translates to correct SQL on Spark (@ablack3, #1510).
 
diff --git a/R/backend-.R b/R/backend-.R
index 3557e252d..8c0d6f8cc 100644
--- a/R/backend-.R
+++ b/R/backend-.R
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ base_scalar <- sql_translator(
   # base R
   nchar = sql_prefix("LENGTH", 1),
   nzchar = function(x, keepNA = FALSE) {
+    check_bool(keepNA)
     if (keepNA) {
       exp <- expr(!!x != "")
       translate_sql(!!exp, con = sql_current_con())
@@ -281,6 +282,7 @@ base_scalar <- sql_translator(
   str_c = sql_paste(""),
   str_sub = sql_str_sub("SUBSTR"),
   str_like = function(string, pattern, ignore_case = TRUE) {
+    check_bool(ignore_case)
     if (isTRUE(ignore_case)) {
       sql_expr(!!string %LIKE% !!pattern)
     } else {
diff --git a/R/backend-hive.R b/R/backend-hive.R
index 7dbdb205a..4ae9a7cfb 100644
--- a/R/backend-hive.R
+++ b/R/backend-hive.R
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ sql_table_analyze.Hive <- function(con, table, ...) {
 
 #' @export
 sql_query_set_op.Hive <- function(con, x, y, method, ..., all = FALSE, lvl = 0) {
+  check_bool(all)
   # parentheses are not allowed
   method <- paste0(method, if (all) " ALL")
   glue_sql2(
diff --git a/R/backend-mssql.R b/R/backend-mssql.R
index ae70b7b86..af30d2859 100644
--- a/R/backend-mssql.R
+++ b/R/backend-mssql.R
@@ -107,11 +107,15 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
                                                     conflict = c("error", "ignore"),
                                                     returning_cols = NULL,
                                                     method = NULL) {
-  method <- method %||% "where_not_exists"
-  arg_match(method, "where_not_exists", error_arg = "method")
   # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25969/insert-into-values-select-from
   conflict <- rows_check_conflict(conflict)
 
+  check_character(returning_cols, allow_null = TRUE)
+
+  check_string(method, allow_null = TRUE)
+  method <- method %||% "where_not_exists"
+  arg_match(method, "where_not_exists", error_arg = "method")
+
   parts <- rows_insert_prep(con, table, from, insert_cols, by, lvl = 0)
 
   clauses <- list2(
@@ -177,6 +181,7 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
                                                     ...,
                                                     returning_cols = NULL,
                                                     method = NULL) {
+  check_string(method, allow_null = TRUE)
   method <- method %||% "merge"
   arg_match(method, "merge", error_arg = "method")
 
@@ -333,6 +338,7 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
       second = function(x) sql_expr(DATEPART(SECOND, !!x)),
 
       month = function(x, label = FALSE, abbr = TRUE) {
+        check_bool(label)
         if (!label) {
           sql_expr(DATEPART(MONTH, !!x))
         } else {
@@ -342,6 +348,7 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
       },
 
       quarter = function(x, with_year = FALSE, fiscal_start = 1) {
+        check_bool(with_year)
         check_unsupported_arg(fiscal_start, 1, backend = "SQL Server")
 
         if (with_year) {
@@ -361,6 +368,7 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
         sql_expr(DATEADD(YEAR, !!n, !!x))
       },
       date_build = function(year, month = 1L, day = 1L, ..., invalid = NULL) {
+        check_unsupported_arg(invalid, allow_null = TRUE)
         sql_expr(DATEFROMPARTS(!!year, !!month, !!day))
       },
       get_year = function(x) {
@@ -373,27 +381,16 @@ simulate_mssql <- function(version = "15.0") {
         sql_expr(DATEPART(DAY, !!x))
       },
       date_count_between = function(start, end, precision, ..., n = 1L){
-
         check_dots_empty()
-        if (precision != "day") {
-          cli_abort("{.arg precision} must be {.val day} on SQL backends.")
-        }
-        if (n != 1) {
-          cli_abort("{.arg n} must be {.val 1} on SQL backends.")
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(precision, allowed = "day")
+        check_unsupported_arg(n, allowed = 1L)
 
         sql_expr(DATEDIFF(DAY, !!start, !!end))
       },
 
       difftime = function(time1, time2, tz, units = "days") {
-
-        if (!missing(tz)) {
-          cli::cli_abort("The {.arg tz} argument is not supported for SQL backends.")
-        }
-
-        if (units[1] != "days") {
-          cli::cli_abort('The only supported value for {.arg units} on SQL backends is "days"')
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(tz)
+        check_unsupported_arg(units, allowed = "days")
 
         sql_expr(DATEDIFF(DAY, !!time2, !!time1))
       }
@@ -545,7 +542,7 @@ mssql_version <- function(con) {
 
 #' @export
 `sql_returning_cols.Microsoft SQL Server` <- function(con, cols, table, ...) {
-  stopifnot(table %in% c("DELETED", "INSERTED"))
+  arg_match(table, values = c("DELETED", "INSERTED"))
   returning_cols <- sql_named_cols(con, cols, table = table)
 
   sql_clause("OUTPUT", returning_cols)
diff --git a/R/backend-postgres.R b/R/backend-postgres.R
index a766149c3..824f886bb 100644
--- a/R/backend-postgres.R
+++ b/R/backend-postgres.R
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ postgres_grepl <- function(pattern,
   check_unsupported_arg(perl, FALSE, backend = "PostgreSQL")
   check_unsupported_arg(fixed, FALSE, backend = "PostgreSQL")
   check_unsupported_arg(useBytes, FALSE, backend = "PostgreSQL")
+  check_bool(ignore.case)
 
   if (ignore.case) {
     sql_expr(((!!x)) %~*% ((!!pattern)))
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
       },
       # https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/functions-matching.html
       str_like = function(string, pattern, ignore_case = TRUE) {
+        check_bool(ignore_case)
         if (isTRUE(ignore_case)) {
           sql_expr(!!string %ILIKE% !!pattern)
         } else {
@@ -162,6 +164,9 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
         sql_expr(EXTRACT(DAY %FROM% !!x))
       },
       wday = function(x, label = FALSE, abbr = TRUE, week_start = NULL) {
+        check_bool(label)
+        check_bool(abbr)
+        check_number_whole(week_start, allow_null = TRUE)
         if (!label) {
           week_start <- week_start %||% getOption("lubridate.week.start", 7)
           offset <- as.integer(7 - week_start)
@@ -182,6 +187,8 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
         sql_expr(EXTRACT(WEEK %FROM% !!x))
       },
       month = function(x, label = FALSE, abbr = TRUE) {
+        check_bool(label)
+        check_bool(abbr)
         if (!label) {
           sql_expr(EXTRACT(MONTH %FROM% !!x))
         } else {
@@ -193,6 +200,7 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
         }
       },
       quarter = function(x, with_year = FALSE, fiscal_start = 1) {
+        check_bool(with_year)
         check_unsupported_arg(fiscal_start, 1, backend = "PostgreSQL")
 
         if (with_year) {
@@ -246,17 +254,14 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
         glue_sql2(sql_current_con(), "({.col x} + {.val n}*INTERVAL'1 year')")
       },
       date_build = function(year, month = 1L, day = 1L, ..., invalid = NULL) {
+        check_unsupported_arg(invalid, allow_null = TRUE)
         sql_expr(make_date(!!year, !!month, !!day))
       },
       date_count_between = function(start, end, precision, ..., n = 1L){
 
         check_dots_empty()
-        if (precision != "day") {
-          cli_abort("{.arg precision} must be {.val day} on SQL backends.")
-        }
-        if (n != 1) {
-          cli_abort("{.arg n} must be {.val 1} on SQL backends.")
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(precision, allowed = "day")
+        check_unsupported_arg(n, allowed = 1L)
 
         sql_expr(!!end - !!start)
       },
@@ -272,13 +277,8 @@ sql_translation.PqConnection <- function(con) {
 
       difftime = function(time1, time2, tz, units = "days") {
 
-        if (!missing(tz)) {
-          cli::cli_abort("The {.arg tz} argument is not supported for SQL backends.")
-        }
-
-        if (units[1] != "days") {
-          cli::cli_abort('The only supported value for {.arg units} on SQL backends is "days"')
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(tz)
+        check_unsupported_arg(units, allowed = "days")
 
         sql_expr((CAST(!!time1 %AS% DATE) - CAST(!!time2 %AS% DATE)))
       },
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ sql_query_insert.PqConnection <- function(con,
                                           ...,
                                           returning_cols = NULL,
                                           method = NULL) {
+  check_string(method, allow_null = TRUE)
   method <- method %||% "on_conflict"
   arg_match(method, c("on_conflict", "where_not_exists"), error_arg = "method")
   if (method == "where_not_exists") {
@@ -379,6 +380,7 @@ sql_query_upsert.PqConnection <- function(con,
                                           ...,
                                           returning_cols = NULL,
                                           method = NULL) {
+  check_string(method, allow_null = TRUE)
   method <- method %||% "on_conflict"
   arg_match(method, c("cte_update", "on_conflict"), error_arg = "method")
 
diff --git a/R/backend-redshift.R b/R/backend-redshift.R
index d02d4a1a9..e9224c588 100644
--- a/R/backend-redshift.R
+++ b/R/backend-redshift.R
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ sql_translation.RedshiftConnection <- function(con) {
         sql_expr(DATEADD(YEAR, !!n, !!x))
       },
       date_build = function(year, month = 1L, day = 1L, ..., invalid = NULL) {
+        check_unsupported_arg(invalid, allow_null = TRUE)
         glue_sql2(sql_current_con(), "TO_DATE(CAST({.val year} AS TEXT) || '-' CAST({.val month} AS TEXT) || '-' || CAST({.val day} AS TEXT)), 'YYYY-MM-DD')")
       },
       get_year = function(x) {
@@ -84,27 +85,16 @@ sql_translation.RedshiftConnection <- function(con) {
         sql_expr(DATE_PART('day', !!x))
       },
       date_count_between = function(start, end, precision, ..., n = 1L){
-
         check_dots_empty()
-        if (precision != "day") {
-          cli_abort("{.arg precision} must be {.val day} on SQL backends.")
-        }
-        if (n != 1) {
-          cli_abort("{.arg n} must be {.val 1} on SQL backends.")
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(precision, allowed = "day")
+        check_unsupported_arg(n, allowed = 1L)
 
         sql_expr(DATEDIFF(DAY, !!start, !!end))
       },
 
       difftime = function(time1, time2, tz, units = "days") {
-
-        if (!missing(tz)) {
-          cli::cli_abort("The {.arg tz} argument is not supported for SQL backends.")
-        }
-
-        if (units[1] != "days") {
-          cli::cli_abort('The only supported value for {.arg units} on SQL backends is "days"')
-        }
+        check_unsupported_arg(tz)
+        check_unsupported_arg(units, allowed = "days")
 
         sql_expr(DATEDIFF(DAY, !!time2, !!time1))
       }
diff --git a/R/backend-spark-sql.R b/R/backend-spark-sql.R
index 88de3f7a5..4ab1b1df6 100644
--- a/R/backend-spark-sql.R
+++ b/R/backend-spark-sql.R
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ simulate_spark_sql <- function() simulate_dbi("Spark SQL")
          sql_expr(add_months(!!x, !!n*12))
        },
        date_build = function(year, month = 1L, day = 1L, ..., invalid = NULL) {
+         check_unsupported_arg(invalid, allow_null = TRUE)
          sql_expr(make_date(!!year, !!month, !!day))
        },
        get_year = function(x) {
@@ -59,27 +60,16 @@ simulate_spark_sql <- function() simulate_dbi("Spark SQL")
          sql_expr(date_part('DAY', !!x))
        },
        date_count_between = function(start, end, precision, ..., n = 1L){
-
          check_dots_empty()
-         if (precision != "day") {
-           cli_abort("{.arg precision} must be {.val day} on SQL backends.")
-         }
-         if (n != 1) {
-           cli_abort("{.arg n} must be {.val 1} on SQL backends.")
-         }
+         check_unsupported_arg(precision, allowed = "day")
+         check_unsupported_arg(n, allowed = 1L)
 
          sql_expr(datediff(!!end, !!start))
        },
 
        difftime = function(time1, time2, tz, units = "days") {
-
-         if (!missing(tz)) {
-           cli::cli_abort("The {.arg tz} argument is not supported for SQL backends.")
-         }
-
-         if (units[1] != "days") {
-           cli::cli_abort('The only supported value for {.arg units} on SQL backends is "days"')
-         }
+         check_unsupported_arg(tz)
+         check_unsupported_arg(units, allowed = "days")
 
          sql_expr(datediff(!!time2, !!time1))
        }
@@ -153,7 +143,8 @@ simulate_spark_sql <- function() simulate_dbi("Spark SQL")
                                    indexes = list(),
                                    analyze = TRUE,
                                    in_transaction = FALSE) {
-
+  check_bool(overwrite)
+  check_bool(temporary)
   sql <- glue_sql2(
     con,
     "CREATE ", if (overwrite) "OR REPLACE ",
diff --git a/R/backend-teradata.R b/R/backend-teradata.R
index e5fc0c861..c1b2d6a8b 100644
--- a/R/backend-teradata.R
+++ b/R/backend-teradata.R
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ sql_translation.Teradata <- function(con) {
       row_number    = win_rank("ROW_NUMBER", empty_order = TRUE),
       weighted.mean = function(x, w, na.rm = T) {
                         # nocov start
+                        check_unsupported_arg(na.rm, allowed = TRUE)
                         win_over(
                           sql_expr(SUM((!!x * !!w))/SUM(!!w)),
                           win_current_group(),
@@ -191,6 +192,7 @@ sql_translation.Teradata <- function(con) {
                       },
       weighted.mean = function(x, w, na.rm = T) {
                         # nocov start
+                        check_unsupported_arg(na.rm, allowed = TRUE)
                         win_over(
                           sql_expr(SUM((!!x * !!w))/SUM(!!w)),
                           win_current_group(),
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index 04fd20fb1..c7d995cf2 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ res_warn_incomplete <- function(res, hint = "n = -1") {
 }
 
 add_temporary_prefix <- function(con, table, temporary = TRUE) {
+  check_bool(temporary)
   check_table_path(table)
 
   if (!temporary) {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-mssql.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-mssql.md
index 36d772c8d..3ad0ef302 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-mssql.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-mssql.md
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "year"))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `precision` must be "day" on SQL backends.
+      ! `precision = "year"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "day" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -55,7 +56,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "day", n = 5))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `n` must be "1" on SQL backends.
+      ! `n = 5` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be 1 instead.
 
 # difftime is translated correctly
 
@@ -63,7 +65,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, units = "auto"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The only supported value for `units` on SQL backends is "days"
+      ! `units = "auto"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "days" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -71,7 +74,7 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, tz = "UTC", units = "days"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The `tz` argument is not supported for SQL backends.
+      ! Argument `tz` isn't supported on database backends.
 
 # convert between bit and boolean as needed
 
@@ -494,20 +497,6 @@
       FROM `df`
       ORDER BY `y`
 
-# can copy_to() and compute() with temporary tables (#438)
-
-    Code
-      db <- copy_to(con, df, name = unique_table_name(), temporary = TRUE)
-    Message
-      Created a temporary table named #dbplyr_{tmp}
-
----
-
-    Code
-      db2 <- db %>% mutate(y = x + 1) %>% compute()
-    Message
-      Created a temporary table named #dbplyr_{tmp}
-
 # add prefix to temporary table
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-postgres.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-postgres.md
index 326582bfc..131096c9d 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-postgres.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-postgres.md
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "year"))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `precision` must be "day" on SQL backends.
+      ! `precision = "year"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "day" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "day", n = 5))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `n` must be "1" on SQL backends.
+      ! `n = 5` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be 1 instead.
 
 # difftime is translated correctly
 
@@ -38,7 +40,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, units = "auto"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The only supported value for `units` on SQL backends is "days"
+      ! `units = "auto"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "days" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, tz = "UTC", units = "days"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The `tz` argument is not supported for SQL backends.
+      ! Argument `tz` isn't supported on database backends.
 
 # custom window functions translated correctly
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-redshift.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-redshift.md
index b85f9ec96..7254a8a0e 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-redshift.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-redshift.md
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "year"))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `precision` must be "day" on SQL backends.
+      ! `precision = "year"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "day" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "day", n = 5))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `n` must be "1" on SQL backends.
+      ! `n = 5` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be 1 instead.
 
 # difftime is translated correctly
 
@@ -57,7 +59,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, units = "auto"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The only supported value for `units` on SQL backends is "days"
+      ! `units = "auto"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "days" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -65,5 +68,5 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, tz = "UTC", units = "days"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The `tz` argument is not supported for SQL backends.
+      ! Argument `tz` isn't supported on database backends.
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-spark-sql.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-spark-sql.md
index cc9dc554e..2ee82a49a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-spark-sql.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/backend-spark-sql.md
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "year"))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `precision` must be "day" on SQL backends.
+      ! `precision = "year"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "day" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -12,7 +13,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(date_count_between(date_column_1, date_column_2, "day", n = 5))
     Condition
       Error in `date_count_between()`:
-      ! `n` must be "1" on SQL backends.
+      ! `n = 5` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be 1 instead.
 
 # difftime is translated correctly
 
@@ -20,7 +22,8 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, units = "auto"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The only supported value for `units` on SQL backends is "days"
+      ! `units = "auto"` isn't supported on database backends.
+      i It must be "days" instead.
 
 ---
 
@@ -28,5 +31,5 @@
       test_translate_sql(difftime(start_date, end_date, tz = "UTC", units = "days"))
     Condition
       Error in `difftime()`:
-      ! The `tz` argument is not supported for SQL backends.
+      ! Argument `tz` isn't supported on database backends.