diff --git a/distribution/tools/server-cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/server/cli/APMJvmOptions.java b/distribution/tools/server-cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/server/cli/APMJvmOptions.java
index a90b13960bc5e..de5d34ddba60b 100644
--- a/distribution/tools/server-cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/server/cli/APMJvmOptions.java
+++ b/distribution/tools/server-cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/server/cli/APMJvmOptions.java
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static Map<String, String> extractApmSettings(Settings settings) throws UserExce
             StringJoiner tracingGlobalLabels = extractGlobalLabels(deprecatedTelemetryAgentPrefix, propertiesMap, settings);
             if (tracingGlobalLabels.length() != 0) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-                    "Cannot have global labels using tracing.agent prefix ["
+                    "Cannot have global labels with tracing.agent prefix ["
                         + globalLabels
                         + "] and telemetry.apm.agent prefix ["
                         + tracingGlobalLabels