diff --git a/src/xz/options.c b/src/xz/options.c
index 710de3b0..379a2e46 100644
--- a/src/xz/options.c
+++ b/src/xz/options.c
@@ -352,8 +352,7 @@ options_lzma(const char *str)
 	parse_options(str, opts, &set_lzma, options);
 
 	if (options->lc + options->lp > LZMA_LCLP_MAX)
-		message_fatal(_("The sum of lc and lp must be at "
-				"maximum of 4"));
+		message_fatal(_("The sum of lc and lp must not exceed 4"));
 
 	const uint32_t nice_len_min = options->mf & 0x0F;
 	if (options->nice_len < nice_len_min)