diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-04-16-14-38-39.gh-issue-100530.OR6-sn.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-04-16-14-38-39.gh-issue-100530.OR6-sn.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..5b1bcc4a680fc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-04-16-14-38-39.gh-issue-100530.OR6-sn.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Clarify the error message raised when the called part of a class pattern isn't actually a class.
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index 8c43e3d89c2c2a..d8495da81e94ec 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ match_class(PyThreadState *tstate, PyObject *subject, PyObject *type,
             Py_ssize_t nargs, PyObject *kwargs)
 {
     if (!PyType_Check(type)) {
-        const char *e = "called match pattern must be a type";
+        const char *e = "called match pattern must be a class";
         _PyErr_Format(tstate, PyExc_TypeError, e);
         return NULL;
     }