diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/metadata/metadata_cache.c b/src/backend/distributed/metadata/metadata_cache.c
index 2537593af..67c140056 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/metadata/metadata_cache.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/metadata/metadata_cache.c
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ EnsureModificationsCanRun(void)
 	if (RecoveryInProgress() && !WritableStandbyCoordinator)
 	{
 		ereport(ERROR, (errmsg("writing to worker nodes is not currently allowed"),
-						errdetail("the database is in recovery mode")));
+						errdetail("the database is read-only")));
 	}
 
 	if (ReadFromSecondaries == USE_SECONDARY_NODES_ALWAYS)
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/multi_follower_dml.out b/src/test/regress/expected/multi_follower_dml.out
index fb1ef0098..aaed31e7f 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/multi_follower_dml.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/multi_follower_dml.out
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ CREATE TABLE local (a int, b int);
 -- inserts normally do not work on a standby coordinator
 INSERT INTO the_table (a, b, z) VALUES (1, 2, 2);
 ERROR:  writing to worker nodes is not currently allowed
-DETAIL:  the database is in recovery mode
+DETAIL:  the database is read-only
 -- we can allow DML on a writable standby coordinator
 SET citus.writable_standby_coordinator TO on;
 INSERT INTO the_table (a, b, z) VALUES (1, 2, 2);