diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
index 183329ba4748..f41aa835a753 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
@@ -1532,8 +1532,8 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
         } else {
             let span = self.last_span;
             self.span_err(span,
-                          "bare raw pointers are not allowed, use `*mut T` or \
-                           `*const T` as appropriate");
+                          "expected mut or const in raw pointer type (use \
+                           `*mut T` or `*const T` as appropriate)");
             Mutability::Immutable
         };
         let t = self.parse_ty()?;
diff --git a/src/test/parse-fail/bare-raw-pointer.rs b/src/test/parse-fail/bad-pointer-type.rs
similarity index 84%
rename from src/test/parse-fail/bare-raw-pointer.rs
rename to src/test/parse-fail/bad-pointer-type.rs
index d6d1e2d9c4f0..cdb4d16fed22 100644
--- a/src/test/parse-fail/bare-raw-pointer.rs
+++ b/src/test/parse-fail/bad-pointer-type.rs
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@
 // compile-flags: -Z parse-only
 
 fn foo(_: *()) {
-    //~^ bare raw pointers are not allowed, use `*mut T` or `*const T` as appropriate
+    //~^ expected mut or const in raw pointer type (use `*mut T` or `*const T` as appropriate)
 }