diff --git a/src/V3LinkDot.cpp b/src/V3LinkDot.cpp
index 641e57355..fa3a765bb 100644
--- a/src/V3LinkDot.cpp
+++ b/src/V3LinkDot.cpp
@@ -3717,7 +3717,8 @@ class LinkDotResolveVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
         }
         if (nodep->isExternProto()) {
             if (!m_curSymp->findIdFallback(nodep->name()) && nodep->isExternExplicit()) {
-                nodep->v3error("Definition not found for extern " + nodep->prettyNameQ());
+                nodep->v3error("Definition not found for extern prototype "
+                               + nodep->prettyNameQ());
             }
         }
         VL_RESTORER(m_curSymp);
@@ -4286,7 +4287,8 @@ class LinkDotResolveVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
         }
         if (nodep->isExternProto()) {
             if (!m_curSymp->findIdFallback(nodep->name())) {
-                nodep->v3error("Definition not found for extern " + nodep->prettyNameQ());
+                nodep->v3error("Definition not found for extern prototype "
+                               + nodep->prettyNameQ());
             }
         }
         VL_RESTORER(m_curSymp);
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_class_extern_bad.out b/test_regress/t/t_class_extern_bad.out
index fef3a2036..785b44d9e 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_class_extern_bad.out
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_class_extern_bad.out
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
     8 |    extern task nodef();
       |                ^~~~~
         ... See the manual at https://verilator.org/verilator_doc.html?v=latest for more assistance.
-%Error: t/t_class_extern_bad.v:8:16: Definition not found for extern 'nodef'
+%Error: t/t_class_extern_bad.v:8:16: Definition not found for extern prototype 'nodef'
     8 |    extern task nodef();
       |                ^~~~~
-%Error: t/t_class_extern_bad.v:9:16: Definition not found for extern 'nodef'
+%Error: t/t_class_extern_bad.v:9:16: Definition not found for extern prototype 'nodef'
     9 |    extern task nodef();   
       |                ^~~~~
 %Error: t/t_class_extern_bad.v:12:6: extern not found that declares 'noproto'
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_constraint_extern_bad.out b/test_regress/t/t_constraint_extern_bad.out
index 73b10b4f8..2e6c8787f 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_constraint_extern_bad.out
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_constraint_extern_bad.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-%Error: t/t_constraint_extern_bad.v:8:22: Definition not found for extern 'missing_bad'
+%Error: t/t_constraint_extern_bad.v:8:22: Definition not found for extern prototype 'missing_bad'
     8 |    extern constraint missing_bad;
       |                      ^~~~~~~~~~~
         ... See the manual at https://verilator.org/verilator_doc.html?v=latest for more assistance.