diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/esm/loader.js b/lib/internal/modules/esm/loader.js
index a947ef579231bf..14e66dcb9fdf62 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/esm/loader.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/esm/loader.js
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class Loader {
       );
       throw new ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER(
         url,
-        dataUrl ? `unsupported MIME "${dataUrl[1]}"` : '');
+        dataUrl ? `has an unsupported MIME type "${dataUrl[1]}"` : '');
     }
     if (typeof format !== 'string') {
       throw new ERR_INVALID_RETURN_PROPERTY_VALUE(
diff --git a/test/es-module/test-esm-invalid-data-urls.js b/test/es-module/test-esm-invalid-data-urls.js
index 8d790f2e0aeb9a..67f0bfe4e25588 100644
--- a/test/es-module/test-esm-invalid-data-urls.js
+++ b/test/es-module/test-esm-invalid-data-urls.js
@@ -6,17 +6,19 @@ const assert = require('assert');
   await assert.rejects(import('data:text/plain,export default0'), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER',
     message:
-      'Invalid module "data:text/plain,export default0" unsupported MIME ' +
-      '"text/plain"',
+      'Invalid module "data:text/plain,export default0" has an unsupported ' +
+      'MIME type "text/plain"',
   });
   await assert.rejects(import('data:text/plain;base64,'), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER',
-    message: 'Invalid module "data:text/plain;base64," unsupported MIME ' +
-    '"text/plain"',
+    message:
+      'Invalid module "data:text/plain;base64," has an unsupported ' +
+      'MIME type "text/plain"',
   });
   await assert.rejects(import('data:application/json,[]'), {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_MODULE_SPECIFIER',
-    message: 'Invalid module "data:application/json,[]" unsupported MIME ' +
-    '"application/json"',
+    message:
+      'Invalid module "data:application/json,[]" has an unsupported ' +
+      'MIME type "application/json"',
   });
 })().then(common.mustCall());