diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/util/ConfTest.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/util/ConfTest.java
index 3f37f5a747..1915e791d2 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/util/ConfTest.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/util/ConfTest.java
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
     } else {
       String confDirName = System.getenv(HADOOP_CONF_DIR);
       if (confDirName == null) {
-        terminate(1, HADOOP_CONF_DIR + " does not defined");
+        terminate(1, HADOOP_CONF_DIR + " is not defined");
       }
       File confDir = new File(confDirName);
       if (!confDir.isDirectory()) {