diff --git a/src/xen/xend_internal.c b/src/xen/xend_internal.c
index d9bfa15711..9c5127f26a 100644
--- a/src/xen/xend_internal.c
+++ b/src/xen/xend_internal.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ wr_sync(virConnectPtr xend, int fd, void *buffer, size_t size, int do_read)
                              "%s", _("failed to read from Xen Daemon"));
             else
                 virXendError(xend, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                             "%s", _("failed to read from Xen Daemon"));
+                             "%s", _("failed to write to Xen Daemon"));
 
             return (-1);
         }