diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 856e98c083..fb6aa4a551 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ int merge_trees(struct merge_options *o,
 	}
 
 	if (sha_eq(common->object.sha1, merge->object.sha1)) {
-		output(o, 0, "Already uptodate!");
+		output(o, 0, "Already up-to-date!");
 		*result = head;
 		return 1;
 	}