diff --git a/lib/krb5/crypto.c b/lib/krb5/crypto.c
index 975be3504..2c6c74f74 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/crypto.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/crypto.c
@@ -1957,9 +1957,8 @@ create_checksum (krb5_context context,
     keyed_checksum = (ct->flags & F_KEYED) != 0;
     if(keyed_checksum && crypto == NULL) {
 	krb5_set_error_string (context, "Checksum type %s is keyed "
-			       "not no crypto context (key) was passed in",
+			       "but no crypto context (key) was passed in",
 			       ct->name);
-	krb5_clear_error_string (context);
 	return KRB5_PROG_SUMTYPE_NOSUPP; /* XXX */
     }
     if(keyed_checksum) {
@@ -2044,7 +2043,9 @@ verify_checksum(krb5_context context,
     }
     keyed_checksum = (ct->flags & F_KEYED) != 0;
     if(keyed_checksum && crypto == NULL) {
-	krb5_clear_error_string (context);
+	krb5_set_error_string (context, "Checksum type %s is keyed "
+			       "but no crypto context (key) was passed in",
+			       ct->name);
 	return KRB5_PROG_SUMTYPE_NOSUPP; /* XXX */
     }
     if(keyed_checksum)