diff --git a/collects/scheme/private/contract.ss b/collects/scheme/private/contract.ss
index 52688c3f6e..5920e8a6e0 100644
--- a/collects/scheme/private/contract.ss
+++ b/collects/scheme/private/contract.ss
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ improve method arity mismatch contract violation error messages?
                          define-stx)]
     [(_ name contract-expr)
      (raise-syntax-error 'define/contract
-                         "no body after contract"
+                         "expected a contract expression and a definition body, but found only one expression"
                          define-stx)]
     [(_ name+arg-list contract #:freevars args . body)
      (identifier? #'args)