diff --git a/requirements/requirements-test.txt b/requirements/requirements-test.txt
index 88205bcaf8..f8c47e3340 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements-test.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-pandas>=1.1
+pandas>=1.1,<2.2.0
 flaky~=3.6
 pytest-cov==2.6.*
 pytest-timeout~=1.3
diff --git a/requirements/requirements.txt b/requirements/requirements.txt
index 49df084e85..d7c3bb8f89 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 numpy~=1.16
-pandas>=1.0,<3
+pandas>=1.0,<2.2.0
 pydantic>=1.7,<3
 tqdm~=4.23
 toolz~=0.10
diff --git a/src/gluonts/time_feature/lag.py b/src/gluonts/time_feature/lag.py
index deb1313f97..9abadb3a7f 100644
--- a/src/gluonts/time_feature/lag.py
+++ b/src/gluonts/time_feature/lag.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def _make_lags_for_month(multiple, num_cycles=3):
             + _make_lags_for_hour(offset.n / (60 * 60))
         )
     else:
-        raise Exception("invalid frequency")
+        raise ValueError(f"invalid frequency | `freq_str={freq_str}` -> `offset_name={offset_name}`")
 
     # flatten lags list and filter
     lags = [
diff --git a/src/gluonts/torch/model/predictor.py b/src/gluonts/torch/model/predictor.py
index 59a4fec3be..fd9bd4aef4 100644
--- a/src/gluonts/torch/model/predictor.py
+++ b/src/gluonts/torch/model/predictor.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def __init__(
         forecast_generator: ForecastGenerator = SampleForecastGenerator(),
         output_transform: Optional[OutputTransform] = None,
         lead_time: int = 0,
-        device: str = "auto",
+        device: Union[str, torch.device] = "auto",
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__(prediction_length, lead_time=lead_time)
         self.input_names = input_names