diff --git a/spec/compiler/parser/parser_spec.cr b/spec/compiler/parser/parser_spec.cr
index 4e69d1a63f3f..fce684fcc0ef 100644
--- a/spec/compiler/parser/parser_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/compiler/parser/parser_spec.cr
@@ -1500,7 +1500,7 @@ module Crystal
     assert_syntax_error "case when .foo? then 1; end"
     assert_syntax_error "macro foo;{%end};end"
     assert_syntax_error "foo {1, 2}", "unexpected token: ,"
-    assert_syntax_error "pointerof(self)", "can't take pointerof(self)"
+    assert_syntax_error "pointerof(self)", "can't take address of self"
     assert_syntax_error "def foo 1; end"
 
     assert_syntax_error %<{"x": [] of Int32,\n}\n1.foo(>, "unterminated call", 3, 6
diff --git a/src/compiler/crystal/syntax/parser.cr b/src/compiler/crystal/syntax/parser.cr
index bbc0410b9ae2..8abfbd9bd456 100644
--- a/src/compiler/crystal/syntax/parser.cr
+++ b/src/compiler/crystal/syntax/parser.cr
@@ -5364,7 +5364,7 @@ module Crystal
       next_token_skip_space_or_newline
 
       if @token.keyword?(:self)
-        raise "can't take pointerof(self)", @token.line_number, @token.column_number
+        raise "can't take address of self", @token.line_number, @token.column_number
       end
 
       exp = parse_op_assign