diff --git a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtil.java b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtil.java
index 2e29cc75c47..fd35ae39a5d 100644
--- a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtil.java
+++ b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtil.java
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ public static String validateFileInput(String filePath) {
             return "Read permission is denied on the file '" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "'";
         }
         if (file.isDirectory()) {
-            return "'" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "' is a direcory. it must be a file.";
+            return "'" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "' is a directory. it must be a file.";
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/zookeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtilTest.java b/zookeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtilTest.java
index 190465386b6..1111c2a237a 100644
--- a/zookeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtilTest.java
+++ b/zookeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/zookeeper/ZKUtilTest.java
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public void testValidateFileInputDirectory() throws Exception {
         String absolutePath = file.getAbsolutePath();
         String error = ZKUtil.validateFileInput(absolutePath);
         assertNotNull(error);
-        String expectedMessage = "'" + absolutePath + "' is a direcory. it must be a file.";
+        String expectedMessage = "'" + absolutePath + "' is a directory. it must be a file.";
         assertEquals(expectedMessage, error);
     }