diff --git a/lib/_http_outgoing.js b/lib/_http_outgoing.js
index 77bfe4ba77d416..e1e78e010cfd62 100644
--- a/lib/_http_outgoing.js
+++ b/lib/_http_outgoing.js
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ OutgoingMessage.prototype.addTrailers = function(headers) {
         'Trailer name must be a valid HTTP Token ["' + field + '"]');
     }
     if (common._checkInvalidHeaderChar(value) === true) {
-      throw new TypeError('The header content contains invalid characters');
+      throw new TypeError('The trailer content contains invalid characters');
     }
     this._trailer += field + ': ' + escapeHeaderValue(value) + CRLF;
   }