diff --git a/tests/lock_test.py b/tests/lock_test.py
index 2ecc8f5e8..dda318131 100644
--- a/tests/lock_test.py
+++ b/tests/lock_test.py
@@ -215,7 +215,8 @@ def check_error(command, dir_path):
     if ret == 0:
         report_failure("Certbot didn't exit with a nonzero status!", out, err)
 
-    match = re.search("See the logfile '(.*)' ", err)
+    # this regex looks weird in order to deal with a text change between HEAD and -oldest
+    match = re.search("ee the logfile '(.*)' ", err)
     if match is not None:
         # Get error output from more verbose logfile
         with open(match.group(1)) as f: