diff --git a/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py b/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
index 96b1cd69a52c..5bc94d95cfc7 100644
--- a/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
+++ b/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def validate_type(name):
         if bit == "const":
             continue
         if bit not in ALLOWED_TYPES:
-            raise ValueError("Argument type '%s' is not in whitelist. "
+            raise ValueError("Argument type '%s' is not allowed. "
                              "Only standard C types and fixed size integer "
                              "types should be used. struct, union, and "
                              "other complex pointer types should be "