diff --git a/src/libstore/download.cc b/src/libstore/download.cc
index 58fd8eede..18f9094f8 100644
--- a/src/libstore/download.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/download.cc
@@ -734,8 +734,8 @@ Path Downloader::downloadCached(ref<Store> store, const string & url_, bool unpa
         Hash gotHash = unpack
             ? hashPath(expectedHash.type, store->toRealPath(storePath)).first
             : hashFile(expectedHash.type, store->toRealPath(storePath));
-        throw nix::Error("hash mismatch in file downloaded from '%s': expected hash '%s', got '%s'",
-            url, expectedHash.to_string(), gotHash.to_string());
+        throw nix::Error("hash mismatch in file downloaded from '%s': got hash '%s' instead of the expected hash '%s'",
+            url, gotHash.to_string(), expectedHash.to_string());
     }
 
     return store->toRealPath(storePath);