diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RowDelta.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RowDelta.java
index f5f10b70f9ce..d64f32ffd933 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RowDelta.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/RowDelta.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public interface RowDelta extends SnapshotUpdate<RowDelta> {
    */
   default RowDelta removeRows(DataFile file) {
     throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
-        getClass().getName() + " does not implement deleteFile");
+        getClass().getName() + " does not implement removeRows");
   }
 
   /**