diff --git a/cassandra/cqlengine/query.py b/cassandra/cqlengine/query.py
index 19b06552..fb7af381 100644
--- a/cassandra/cqlengine/query.py
+++ b/cassandra/cqlengine/query.py
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ class ModelQuerySet(AbstractQuerySet):
 
     def if_not_exists(self):
         if self.model._has_counter:
-            raise IfNotExistsWithCounterColumn('if_not_exists cannot be used with tables containing columns')
+            raise IfNotExistsWithCounterColumn('if_not_exists cannot be used with tables containing counter columns')
         clone = copy.deepcopy(self)
         clone._if_not_exists = True
         return clone