diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/utility.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/utility.hpp
index 7e89dc28e6..22011ddd2f 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/utility.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/utility.hpp
@@ -619,6 +619,10 @@ For example:
 }
 @endcode
 
+Note that there are no default values for `help` and `timestamp` so we can check their presence using the `has()` method.
+Arguments with default values are considered to be always present. Use the `get()` method in these cases to check their
+actual value instead.
+
 ### Usage
 
 For the described keys:
@@ -630,7 +634,7 @@ For the described keys:
     # Bad call
     $ ./app -fps=aaa
     ERRORS:
-    Exception: can not convert: [aaa] to [double]
+    Parameter 'fps': can not convert: [aaa] to [double]
 @endcode
  */
 class CV_EXPORTS CommandLineParser
diff --git a/modules/core/src/command_line_parser.cpp b/modules/core/src/command_line_parser.cpp
index 2753ef30a4..a7c1edc69f 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/command_line_parser.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/command_line_parser.cpp
@@ -97,23 +97,28 @@ void CommandLineParser::getByName(const String& name, bool space_delete, int typ
         {
             for (size_t j = 0; j < impl->data[i].keys.size(); j++)
             {
-                if (name.compare(impl->data[i].keys[j]) == 0)
+                if (name == impl->data[i].keys[j])
                 {
                     String v = impl->data[i].def_value;
                     if (space_delete)
                         v = impl->cat_string(v);
+
+                    // it is an error if we just got the default value here
+                    if(v.empty())
+                        break;
+
                     from_str(v, type, dst);
                     return;
                 }
             }
         }
         impl->error = true;
-        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Unknown parameter " + name + "\n";
+        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Missing parameter: '" + name + "'\n";
     }
-    catch (std::exception& e)
+    catch (Exception& e)
     {
         impl->error = true;
-        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Exception: " + String(e.what()) + "\n";
+        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Parameter '"+ name + "': " + e.err + "\n";
     }
 }
 
@@ -128,17 +133,22 @@ void CommandLineParser::getByIndex(int index, bool space_delete, int type, void*
             {
                 String v = impl->data[i].def_value;
                 if (space_delete == true) v = impl->cat_string(v);
+
+                // it is an error if we just got the default value here
+                if(v.empty())
+                    break;
+
                 from_str(v, type, dst);
                 return;
             }
         }
         impl->error = true;
-        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Unknown parameter #" + format("%d", index) + "\n";
+        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Missing parameter #" + format("%d", index) + "\n";
     }
-    catch(std::exception & e)
+    catch(Exception& e)
     {
         impl->error = true;
-        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + "Exception: " + String(e.what()) + "\n";
+        impl->error_message = impl->error_message + format("Parameter #%d: ", index) + e.err + "\n";
     }
 }
 
@@ -324,9 +334,9 @@ bool CommandLineParser::has(const String& name) const
     {
         for (size_t j = 0; j < impl->data[i].keys.size(); j++)
         {
-            if (name.compare(impl->data[i].keys[j]) == 0 && String("true").compare(impl->data[i].def_value) == 0)
+            if (name == impl->data[i].keys[j])
             {
-                return true;
+                return !impl->cat_string(impl->data[i].def_value).empty();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/modules/ts/src/ts_perf.cpp b/modules/ts/src/ts_perf.cpp
index ef8f0af9a0..c9e872b4c5 100644
--- a/modules/ts/src/ts_perf.cpp
+++ b/modules/ts/src/ts_perf.cpp
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ void TestBase::Init(const std::vector<std::string> & availableImpls,
     ;
 
     cv::CommandLineParser args(argc, argv, command_line_keys);
-    if (args.has("help"))
+    if (args.get<bool>("help"))
     {
         args.printMessage();
         return;
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ void TestBase::Init(const std::vector<std::string> & availableImpls,
 
     ::testing::AddGlobalTestEnvironment(new PerfEnvironment);
 
-    param_impl          = args.has("perf_run_cpu") ? "plain" : args.get<std::string>("perf_impl");
+    param_impl          = args.get<bool>("perf_run_cpu") ? "plain" : args.get<std::string>("perf_impl");
     std::string perf_strategy = args.get<std::string>("perf_strategy");
     if (perf_strategy == "default")
     {
@@ -816,24 +816,24 @@ void TestBase::Init(const std::vector<std::string> & availableImpls,
     param_seed          = args.get<unsigned int>("perf_seed");
     param_time_limit    = std::max(0., args.get<double>("perf_time_limit"));
     param_force_samples = args.get<unsigned int>("perf_force_samples");
-    param_write_sanity  = args.has("perf_write_sanity");
-    param_verify_sanity = args.has("perf_verify_sanity");
+    param_write_sanity  = args.get<bool>("perf_write_sanity");
+    param_verify_sanity = args.get<bool>("perf_verify_sanity");
 
 #ifndef WINRT
-    test_ipp_check      = !args.has("perf_ipp_check") ? getenv("OPENCV_IPP_CHECK") != NULL : true;
+    test_ipp_check      = !args.get<bool>("perf_ipp_check") ? getenv("OPENCV_IPP_CHECK") != NULL : true;
 #else
     test_ipp_check = false;
 #endif
     param_threads       = args.get<int>("perf_threads");
 #ifdef CV_COLLECT_IMPL_DATA
-    param_collect_impl  = args.has("perf_collect_impl");
+    param_collect_impl  = args.get<bool>("perf_collect_impl");
 #endif
 #ifdef ANDROID
     param_affinity_mask   = args.get<int>("perf_affinity_mask");
     log_power_checkpoints = args.has("perf_log_power_checkpoints");
 #endif
 
-    bool param_list_impls = args.has("perf_list_impls");
+    bool param_list_impls = args.get<bool>("perf_list_impls");
 
     if (param_list_impls)
     {
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ void TestBase::Init(const std::vector<std::string> & availableImpls,
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CUDA
 
-    bool printOnly        = args.has("perf_cuda_info_only");
+    bool printOnly        = args.get<bool>("perf_cuda_info_only");
 
     if (printOnly)
         exit(0);