diff --git a/capture_info.c b/capture_info.c
index 805b49f71e..516f616f0e 100644
--- a/capture_info.c
+++ b/capture_info.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ cf_open_error_message(int err, gchar *err_info, gboolean for_writing,
         case WTAP_ERR_UNSUPPORTED:
             /* Seen only when opening a capture file for reading. */
             g_snprintf(errmsg_errno, sizeof(errmsg_errno),
-                       "The file \"%%s\" isn't a capture file in a format TShark understands.\n"
+                       "The file \"%%s\" contains record data that TShark doesn't support.\n"
                        "(%s)", err_info);
             g_free(err_info);
             errmsg = errmsg_errno;
diff --git a/tshark.c b/tshark.c
index 36eea4b65b..a3b4e9188a 100644
--- a/tshark.c
+++ b/tshark.c
@@ -4146,8 +4146,8 @@ cf_open_error_message(int err, gchar *err_info, gboolean for_writing,
     case WTAP_ERR_UNSUPPORTED:
       /* Seen only when opening a capture file for reading. */
       g_snprintf(errmsg_errno, sizeof(errmsg_errno),
-               "The file \"%%s\" isn't a capture file in a format TShark understands.\n"
-               "(%s)", err_info);
+                 "The file \"%%s\" contains record data that TShark doesn't support.\n"
+                 "(%s)", err_info);
       g_free(err_info);
       errmsg = errmsg_errno;
       break;