diff --git a/src/libstore/build.cc b/src/libstore/build.cc
index f5f91d617..86697bda8 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build.cc
@@ -2708,7 +2708,7 @@ void DerivationGoal::registerOutputs()
             Hash h2 = recursive ? hashPath(ht, actualPath).first : hashFile(ht, actualPath);
             if (h != h2)
                 throw BuildError(
-                    format("output path ‘%1%’ should have %2% hash ‘%3%’, instead has ‘%4%’")
+                    format("Nix expects output path ‘%1%’ to have %2% hash ‘%3%’, instead it has ‘%4%’")
                     % path % i.second.hashAlgo % printHash16or32(h) % printHash16or32(h2));
         }