diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c b/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
index d9a3cc375d03224416c7a9261d1e2682e216ec05..871dfb89607cb1af4f0824641f4318ce893b8971 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_api.c
@@ -4028,7 +4028,7 @@ extern int slurm_open_persist_controller_conn(char *host, uint32_t port)
 	req_msg.msg_type = REQUEST_PERSIST_INIT;
 	if ((rc = slurm_send_recv_msg(fd, &req_msg, &resp_msg, 0)) ||
 	    (rc = slurm_get_return_code(resp_msg.msg_type, resp_msg.data))) {
-		error("failed to finish persistent connection %d", fd);
+		error("failed to open persistent connection %d", fd);
 		slurm_close_persist_controller_conn(fd);
 		fd = -1;
 	}