diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
index fcd3d0d9a35..c713d11d302 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
@@ -1407,8 +1407,8 @@ connectOptions2(PGconn *conn)
 			else
 			{
 				conn->status = CONNECTION_BAD;
-				libpq_append_conn_error(conn, "invalid require_auth method: \"%s\"",
-										method);
+				libpq_append_conn_error(conn, "invalid %s value: \"%s\"",
+										"require_auth", method);
 
 				free(part);
 				return false;
diff --git a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
index d7362a4d3ed..1306fd05d24 100644
--- a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
+++ b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ $node->connect_fails(
 $node->connect_fails(
 	"user=scram_role require_auth=none,abcdefg",
 	"unknown require_auth methods are rejected",
-	expected_stderr => qr/invalid require_auth method: "abcdefg"/);
+	expected_stderr => qr/invalid require_auth value: "abcdefg"/);
 
 # For plain "password" method, all users should also be able to connect.
 reset_pg_hba($node, 'all', 'all', 'password');