diff --git a/repo b/repo
index 649c4e480..e7379956f 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ def _CheckGitVersion():
     raise CloneFailure()
 
   if ver_act is None:
-    print('error: "%s" unsupported' % ver_str, file=sys.stderr)
+    print('fatal: unable to detect git version', file=sys.stderr)
     raise CloneFailure()
 
   if ver_act < MIN_GIT_VERSION: