diff --git a/server/events/command_requirement_handler.go b/server/events/command_requirement_handler.go
index dadb526a78..8af12bec54 100644
--- a/server/events/command_requirement_handler.go
+++ b/server/events/command_requirement_handler.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (a *DefaultCommandRequirementHandler) ValidatePlanProject(repoDir string, c
 		switch req {
 		case raw.ApprovedRequirement:
 			if !ctx.PullReqStatus.ApprovalStatus.IsApproved {
-				return "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running plan.", nil
+				return "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running plan.", nil
 			}
 		case raw.MergeableRequirement:
 			if !ctx.PullReqStatus.Mergeable {
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (a *DefaultCommandRequirementHandler) ValidateApplyProject(repoDir string,
 		switch req {
 		case raw.ApprovedRequirement:
 			if !ctx.PullReqStatus.ApprovalStatus.IsApproved {
-				return "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running apply.", nil
+				return "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running apply.", nil
 			}
 		// this should come before mergeability check since mergeability is a superset of this check.
 		case valid.PoliciesPassedCommandReq:
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (a *DefaultCommandRequirementHandler) ValidateImportProject(repoDir string,
 		switch req {
 		case raw.ApprovedRequirement:
 			if !ctx.PullReqStatus.ApprovalStatus.IsApproved {
-				return "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running import.", nil
+				return "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running import.", nil
 			}
 		case raw.MergeableRequirement:
 			if !ctx.PullReqStatus.Mergeable {
diff --git a/server/events/command_requirement_handler_test.go b/server/events/command_requirement_handler_test.go
index f76ff7254c..7a9891b07c 100644
--- a/server/events/command_requirement_handler_test.go
+++ b/server/events/command_requirement_handler_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestAggregateApplyRequirements_ValidatePlanProject(t *testing.T) {
 					ApprovalStatus: models.ApprovalStatus{IsApproved: false},
 				},
 			},
-			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running plan.",
+			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running plan.",
 			wantErr:     assert.NoError,
 		},
 		{
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TestAggregateApplyRequirements_ValidateApplyProject(t *testing.T) {
 					ApprovalStatus: models.ApprovalStatus{IsApproved: false},
 				},
 			},
-			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running apply.",
+			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running apply.",
 			wantErr:     assert.NoError,
 		},
 		{
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func TestAggregateApplyRequirements_ValidateImportProject(t *testing.T) {
 					ApprovalStatus: models.ApprovalStatus{IsApproved: false},
 				},
 			},
-			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running import.",
+			wantFailure: "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running import.",
 			wantErr:     assert.NoError,
 		},
 		{
diff --git a/server/events/project_command_runner_test.go b/server/events/project_command_runner_test.go
index d82a912cd9..786b67088e 100644
--- a/server/events/project_command_runner_test.go
+++ b/server/events/project_command_runner_test.go
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func TestDefaultProjectCommandRunner_ApplyNotApproved(t *testing.T) {
 	When(mockWorkingDir.GetWorkingDir(ctx.BaseRepo, ctx.Pull, ctx.Workspace)).ThenReturn(tmp, nil)
 
 	res := runner.Apply(ctx)
-	Equals(t, "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running apply.", res.Failure)
+	Equals(t, "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running apply.", res.Failure)
 }
 
 // Test that if mergeable is required and the PR isn't mergeable we give an error.
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ func TestDefaultProjectCommandRunner_Import(t *testing.T) {
 					IsApproved: false,
 				},
 			},
-			expFailure: "Pull request must be approved by at least one person other than the author before running import.",
+			expFailure: "Pull request must be approved according to the project's approval rules before running import.",
 		},
 	}