diff --git a/src/bin/scripts/pg_isready.c b/src/bin/scripts/pg_isready.c
index c676ab86ec3..5cb75a42ec0 100644
--- a/src/bin/scripts/pg_isready.c
+++ b/src/bin/scripts/pg_isready.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	defs = PQconndefaults();
 	if (defs == NULL)
 	{
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: cannot fetch default options\n"), progname);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not fetch default options\n"), progname);
 		exit(PQPING_NO_ATTEMPT);
 	}