diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/forwarding/lib.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/forwarding/lib.sh
index 26ba8b5d264a..3ffb9d6c0950 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/forwarding/lib.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/forwarding/lib.sh
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@ learning_test()
 	tc -j -s filter show dev $host1_if ingress \
 		| jq -e ".[] | select(.options.handle == 101) \
 		| select(.options.actions[0].stats.packets == 1)" &> /dev/null
-	check_fail $? "Packet reached second host when should not"
+	check_fail $? "Packet reached first host when should not"
 
 	$MZ $host1_if -c 1 -p 64 -a $mac -t ip -q
 	sleep 1