diff --git a/src/slurmd/slurmstepd/req.c b/src/slurmd/slurmstepd/req.c
index 0556fc0f39ae7b7da4d526d8a1a28ed2642da9e1..c0e69eb9f146a28924b5125d57a8cbb3d2257a5d 100644
--- a/src/slurmd/slurmstepd/req.c
+++ b/src/slurmd/slurmstepd/req.c
@@ -735,7 +735,8 @@ _handle_signal_container(int fd, slurmd_job_t *job, uid_t uid)
 			error("*** %s CANCELLED DUE TO NODE FAILURE ***", entity);
 			msg_sent = 1;
 		} else if (sig == SIG_FAILURE) {
-			error("*** %s CANCELLED DUE TO SYSTEM FAILURE ***", entity);
+			error("*** %s FAILED (non-zero exit code or other "
+			      "failure mode) ***", entity);
 			msg_sent = 1;
 		} else if ((sig == SIGTERM) || (sig == SIGKILL)) {
 			error("*** %s CANCELLED ***", entity);