diff --git a/lib/read.js b/lib/read.js
index c2634e2..5dfa312 100644
--- a/lib/read.js
+++ b/lib/read.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ var namespace = function (p, key, value){
 			p[str] = {};
 		}else if (typeof p[str] !== "object"){
 			return new Error ("Invalid namespace chain, the key must contain an " +
-					"object: " + str);
+					"object: " + key);
 		}
 		p = p[str];
 	}