diff --git a/cli/src/commands/mod.rs b/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
index eac98dfce..7061afb87 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -2667,7 +2667,7 @@ fn cmd_chmod(ui: &mut Ui, command: &CommandHelper, args: &ChmodArgs) -> Result<(
                 let (new_adds, all_files) = chmod_conflict_sides(conflict.adds(), executable_bit);
                 if !all_files {
                     return Err(user_error_with_path(
-                        "None of the sides of the conflict are files",
+                        "Some of the sides of the conflict are not files",
                     ));
                 }
                 let new_conflict_id =
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_chmod_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_chmod_command.rs
index 0544a94ad..f258720e1 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_chmod_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_chmod_command.rs
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ fn test_chmod_file_dir_deletion_conflicts() {
     "###);
     let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_failure(&repo_path, &["chmod", "x", "file", "-r=file_dir"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Error: None of the sides of the conflict are files at 'file'.
+    Error: Some of the sides of the conflict are not files at 'file'.
     "###);
 
     // The file_deletion conflict can be chmod-ed