diff --git a/src/java.base/unix/native/libnet/net_util_md.c b/src/java.base/unix/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
index b0915615d96..1496be5f5c6 100644
--- a/src/java.base/unix/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
+++ b/src/java.base/unix/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ NET_InetAddressToSockaddr(JNIEnv *env, jobject iaObj, int port,
     } else {
         jint address;
         if (family != java_net_InetAddress_IPv4) {
-            JNU_ThrowByName(env, JNU_JAVANETPKG "SocketException", "Protocol family unavailable");
+            JNU_ThrowByName(env, JNU_JAVANETPKG "SocketException", "IPv6 protocol family unavailable");
             return -1;
         }
         address = getInetAddress_addr(env, iaObj);
diff --git a/src/java.base/windows/native/libnet/net_util_md.c b/src/java.base/windows/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
index 410d141e790..bac3d1438ab 100644
--- a/src/java.base/windows/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
+++ b/src/java.base/windows/native/libnet/net_util_md.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ NET_InetAddressToSockaddr(JNIEnv *env, jobject iaObj, int port,
     } else {
         jint address;
         if (family != java_net_InetAddress_IPv4) {
-            JNU_ThrowByName(env, JNU_JAVANETPKG "SocketException", "Protocol family unavailable");
+            JNU_ThrowByName(env, JNU_JAVANETPKG "SocketException", "IPv6 protocol family unavailable");
             return -1;
         }
         address = getInetAddress_addr(env, iaObj);