diff --git a/lib/_http_server.js b/lib/_http_server.js
index a2eba953cfc..5f54295c8a1 100644
--- a/lib/_http_server.js
+++ b/lib/_http_server.js
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ function storeHTTPOptions(options) {
   }
 
   if (this.requestTimeout > 0 && this.headersTimeout > 0 && this.headersTimeout >= this.requestTimeout) {
-    throw new codes.ERR_OUT_OF_RANGE('headersTimeout', '>= requestTimeout', headersTimeout);
+    throw new codes.ERR_OUT_OF_RANGE('headersTimeout', '< requestTimeout', headersTimeout);
   }
 
   const keepAliveTimeout = options.keepAliveTimeout;