diff --git a/src/bin/main.rs b/src/bin/main.rs
index 54b267bb445..6eaf709dab3 100644
--- a/src/bin/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/main.rs
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ fn format_and_emit_report<T: Write>(session: &mut Session<'_, T>, input: Input)
             }
         }
         Err(msg) => {
-            eprintln!("Error writing files: {msg}");
+            eprintln!("Error formatting files: {msg}");
             session.add_operational_error();
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/rustfmt/main.rs b/tests/rustfmt/main.rs
index 4008c8d1435..b1ec556e2d9 100644
--- a/tests/rustfmt/main.rs
+++ b/tests/rustfmt/main.rs
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ fn mod_resolution_error_multiple_candidate_files() {
     assert!(stderr.contains(&error_message))
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn check_mode_error_uses_formatting_prefix() {
+    let args = ["--check", "tests/mod-resolver/issue-5167/src/lib.rs"];
+    let (_stdout, stderr) = rustfmt(&args);
+    assert!(stderr.contains("Error formatting files:"))
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn mod_resolution_error_sibling_module_not_found() {
     let args = ["tests/mod-resolver/module-not-found/sibling_module/lib.rs"];