diff --git a/smallapp/unbound-checkconf.c b/smallapp/unbound-checkconf.c
index fb62db182..10b23bebd 100644
--- a/smallapp/unbound-checkconf.c
+++ b/smallapp/unbound-checkconf.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ check_hints(struct config_file* cfg)
 {
 	struct iter_hints* hints = hints_create();
 	if(!hints || !hints_apply_cfg(hints, cfg)) {
-		fatal_exit("Could not set hints zones");
+		fatal_exit("Could not set root or stub hints");
 	}
 	hints_delete(hints);
 }