diff --git a/mypy/checkmember.py b/mypy/checkmember.py
index 83c4660cb1b1..6c934dccb022 100644
--- a/mypy/checkmember.py
+++ b/mypy/checkmember.py
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ def analyze_class_attribute_access(itype: Instance,
         return AnyType()
 
     if isinstance(node.node, TypeVarExpr):
-        msg.fail('Type variable "{}.{}" is invalid in a runtime context'.format(
+        msg.fail('Type variable "{}.{}" cannot be used as an expression'.format(
                  itype.type.name(), name), context)
         return AnyType()
 
diff --git a/test-data/unit/check-typevar-values.test b/test-data/unit/check-typevar-values.test
index 29c72add0624..36df2235a209 100644
--- a/test-data/unit/check-typevar-values.test
+++ b/test-data/unit/check-typevar-values.test
@@ -505,8 +505,8 @@ class C:
         reveal_type(l)  # E: Revealed type is 'builtins.list[T`-1]'
         y: C.T = x
         l.append(x)
-        C.T  # E: Type variable "C.T" is invalid in a runtime context
-        A = C.T  # E: Type variable "C.T" is invalid in a runtime context
+        C.T  # E: Type variable "C.T" cannot be used as an expression
+        A = C.T  # E: Type variable "C.T" cannot be used as an expression
         return l[0]
 
 [builtins fixtures/list.pyi]