diff --git a/src/textual/css/query.py b/src/textual/css/query.py
index 660190cbf5..396426a6d8 100644
--- a/src/textual/css/query.py
+++ b/src/textual/css/query.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def __init__(
             try:
                 self._excludes.append(parse_selectors(exclude))
             except TokenError:
-                raise InvalidQueryFormat(f"Unable to parse filter {filter!r} as query")
+                raise InvalidQueryFormat(f"Unable to parse exclude {exclude!r} as query")
 
     @property
     def node(self) -> DOMNode: