diff --git a/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typecheck/check-class-unit.rkt b/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typecheck/check-class-unit.rkt
index f76a08acdc..155ec6562f 100644
--- a/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typecheck/check-class-unit.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-lib/typed-racket/typecheck/check-class-unit.rkt
@@ -329,9 +329,12 @@
        (values super-row super-inits super-fields
                super-methods super-augments super-init-rest)]
       [(tc-result1: t)
-       (tc-error/expr "expected a superclass but got value of type ~a" t
-                      #:stx (hash-ref parse-info 'superclass-expr))
-       (values #f null null null null)]))
+       (tc-error/expr/fields "type mismatch"
+                             #:more "superclass expression should produce a class"
+                             #:stx (hash-ref parse-info 'superclass-expr)
+                             "expected" "a class"
+                             "given" t)
+       (values #f null null null null #f)]))
   (define super-init-names    (dict-keys super-inits))
   (define super-field-names   (dict-keys super-fields))
   (define super-method-names  (dict-keys super-methods))
diff --git a/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-test/tests/typed-racket/unit-tests/class-tests.rkt b/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-test/tests/typed-racket/unit-tests/class-tests.rkt
index 7fc4b33af6..4e23fdce45 100644
--- a/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-test/tests/typed-racket/unit-tests/class-tests.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/typed-racket-pkgs/typed-racket-test/tests/typed-racket/unit-tests/class-tests.rkt
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
                           (init x)
                           (define/public (m x) 0)))
              (void))
-           #:msg #rx"expected a superclass but"]
+           #:msg #rx"superclass expression should produce a class"]
    ;; Method using argument type
    [tc-e (let ()
            (: e% (Class (init [x Integer])
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@
            (define n% (class j% (super-new)))
            (void))
          -Void]
+   ;; fail, superclass expression is not a class with no expected type
+   [tc-err (class "foo" (super-new))
+           #:msg "expected: a class"]
    ;; should fail, too many methods
    [tc-err (let ()
              (: o% (Class))