diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 883cea2fd4..b65020d32c 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ type GenesisMismatchError struct {
 }
 
 func (e *GenesisMismatchError) Error() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("wrong genesis block in database (have %x, new %x)", e.Stored[:8], e.New[:8])
+	return fmt.Sprintf("database already contains an incompatible genesis block (have %x, new %x)", e.Stored[:8], e.New[:8])
 }
 
 // SetupGenesisBlock writes or updates the genesis block in db.