diff --git a/pkg/controller/machineset/controller.go b/pkg/controller/machineset/controller.go
index c0571a24339c..a45f5854000c 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/machineset/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/machineset/controller.go
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func (r *ReconcileMachineSet) reconcile(ctx context.Context, machineSet *cluster
 	}
 
 	if syncErr != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrapf(syncErr, "failed to sync machines")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrapf(syncErr, "failed to sync MachineSet replicas")
 	}
 
 	var replicas int32