diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-11-11-28-25.gh-issue-144702.XjFumv.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-11-11-28-25.gh-issue-144702.XjFumv.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..01d2b6570de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-11-11-28-25.gh-issue-144702.XjFumv.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Clarify the error message raised when a class pattern is used to match on a
+non-class object.
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index ab2eef56037..8e905a5e689 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ _PyEval_MatchClass(PyThreadState *tstate, PyObject *subject, PyObject *type,
                    Py_ssize_t nargs, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
     if (!PyType_Check(type)) {
-        const char *e = "called match pattern must be a class";
+        const char *e = "class pattern must refer to a class";
         _PyErr_Format(tstate, PyExc_TypeError, e);
         return NULL;
     }