diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
index ef4a62dafb..9597b307e9 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
@@ -1409,7 +1409,7 @@ qemuBuildDriveStr(virConnectPtr conn,
         disk->blkdeviotune.size_iops_sec > QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_ARGUMENT_UNSUPPORTED,
                       _("block I/O throttle limit must "
-                        "be less than %llu using QEMU"), QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX);
+                        "be no more than %llu using QEMU"), QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX);
         goto error;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 90f541cf6d..91ed0fa459 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -17529,7 +17529,7 @@ qemuDomainSetBlockIoTune(virDomainPtr dom,
         if (param->value.ul > QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_ARGUMENT_UNSUPPORTED,
                            _("block I/O throttle limit value must"
-                             " be less than %llu"), QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX);
+                             " be no more than %llu"), QEMU_BLOCK_IOTUNE_MAX);
             goto endjob;
         }