diff --git a/lib/checknullpointer.cpp b/lib/checknullpointer.cpp
index 4f44e71cafe..331133d43bf 100644
--- a/lib/checknullpointer.cpp
+++ b/lib/checknullpointer.cpp
@@ -466,17 +466,11 @@ void CheckNullPointer::nullPointerError(const Token *tok, const std::string &var
 
         std::string id = "nullPointer";
         if (value->unknownFunctionReturn == ValueFlow::Value::UnknownFunctionReturn::outOfMemory) {
-            if (errmsg.compare(0, 9, "Possible ") == 0)
-                errmsg = "If memory allocation fail: " + errmsg.substr(9);
-            else
-                errmsg = "If memory allocation fail: " + errmsg;
+            errmsg = "If memory allocation fails, then there is a " + ((char)std::tolower(errmsg[0]) + errmsg.substr(1));
             id += "OutOfMemory";
         }
         else if (value->unknownFunctionReturn == ValueFlow::Value::UnknownFunctionReturn::outOfResources) {
-            if (errmsg.compare(0, 9, "Possible ") == 0)
-                errmsg = "If resource allocation fail: " + errmsg.substr(9);
-            else
-                errmsg = "If resource allocation fail: " + errmsg;
+            errmsg = "If resource allocation fails, then there is a " + ((char)std::tolower(errmsg[0]) + errmsg.substr(1));
             id += "OutOfResources";
         }
 
diff --git a/test/testnullpointer.cpp b/test/testnullpointer.cpp
index 455b65379bd..a9e19991242 100644
--- a/test/testnullpointer.cpp
+++ b/test/testnullpointer.cpp
@@ -2769,7 +2769,7 @@ class TestNullPointer : public TestFixture {
               "    (*kep)->next = 0;\n"
               "    (*kep)->len = slen;\n"
               "}\n");
-        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:6]: (warning) If memory allocation fail: null pointer dereference: *kep\n", errout_str());
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:6]: (warning) If memory allocation fails, then there is a possible null pointer dereference: *kep\n", errout_str());
     }
 
     void nullpointer95() // #11142
@@ -4087,7 +4087,7 @@ class TestNullPointer : public TestFixture {
               "    *p = 0;\n"
               "    free(p);\n"
               "}");
-        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:3]: (warning) If memory allocation fail: null pointer dereference: p\n", errout_str());
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:3]: (warning) If memory allocation fails, then there is a possible null pointer dereference: p\n", errout_str());
 
         check("void f() {\n"
               "    int *p = malloc(10);\n"