diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataCreateIndexService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataCreateIndexService.java
index 6f2c6c7d99a..af643ddcf42 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataCreateIndexService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataCreateIndexService.java
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ public class MetaDataCreateIndexService extends AbstractComponent {
             throw new InvalidIndexNameException(new Index(request.index), request.index, "must not contain the following characters " + Strings.INVALID_FILENAME_CHARS);
         }
         if (state.metaData().aliases().containsKey(request.index)) {
-            throw new InvalidIndexNameException(new Index(request.index), request.index, "an alias with the same name already exists");
+            throw new IndexAlreadyExistsException(new Index(request.index), "already exists as alias");
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndexAlreadyExistsException.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndexAlreadyExistsException.java
index 625bb13527a..ff60c5ea82b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndexAlreadyExistsException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndexAlreadyExistsException.java
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus;
 public class IndexAlreadyExistsException extends IndexException {
 
     public IndexAlreadyExistsException(Index index) {
-        super(index, "Already exists");
+        this(index, "already exists");
+    }
+
+    public IndexAlreadyExistsException(Index index, String message) {
+        super(index, message);
     }
 
     @Override