diff --git a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessage.java b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessage.java
index 0a01d31b326f..f5b32959131a 100644
--- a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessage.java
+++ b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessage.java
@@ -2709,13 +2709,12 @@ public void clear(final Builder<?> builder) {
 
       @Override
       public Message.Builder newBuilder() {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
-            "newBuilderForField() called on a non-Message type.");
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("newBuilderForField() called on a repeated field.");
       }
 
       @Override
       public Message.Builder getBuilder(GeneratedMessage.Builder<?> builder) {
-        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("getFieldBuilder() called on a non-Message type.");
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("getFieldBuilder() called on a repeated field.");
       }
 
       @Override