diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/logging/impl/AvalonLogger.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/logging/impl/AvalonLogger.java
index 987d6ac..2102cf2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/logging/impl/AvalonLogger.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/logging/impl/AvalonLogger.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class AvalonLogger implements Log {
      * @param name the name of the avalon logger implementation to delegate to
      */
     public AvalonLogger(final String name) {
-        Objects.requireNonNull(defaultLogger, "default logger has to be specified if this constructor is used!");
+        Objects.requireNonNull(defaultLogger, "defaultLogger");
         this.logger = defaultLogger.getChildLogger(name);
     }