diff --git a/cmd/ztest/ztest.c b/cmd/ztest/ztest.c
index 3f425cf8cf81..d5c0c86a388c 100644
--- a/cmd/ztest/ztest.c
+++ b/cmd/ztest/ztest.c
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ process_options(int argc, char **argv)
 			if (strlcpy(v, optarg, ZO_GVARS_MAX_ARGLEN) >=
 			    ZO_GVARS_MAX_ARGLEN) {
 				(void) fprintf(stderr,
-				    "global var option '%s' is tool long\n",
+				    "global var option '%s' is too long\n",
 				    optarg);
 				usage(B_FALSE);
 			}