diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
index 4380840bb1..aac363f965 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain_address.c
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ qemuDomainPCIAddressSetCreate(virDomainDefPtr def,
         if (idx >= addrs->nbuses) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                            _("Inappropriate new pci controller index %zu "
-                             "not found in addrs"), idx);
+                             "exceeds addrs array length"), idx);
             goto error;
         }