diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
index 2a8a5e228ef..ceaf01466cd 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ public class RecoveryTarget extends AbstractComponent {
             }
 
             if (cause instanceof IndexShardClosedException) {
-                listener.onIgnoreRecovery(true, "source node disconnected");
+                listener.onIgnoreRecovery(true, "source shard is closed");
                 return;
             }