diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
index 1fb078db8d..2848ec6bf3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ public static Order desc(String property) {
 		private Order(@Nullable Direction direction, String property, boolean ignoreCase, NullHandling nullHandling) {
 
 			if (!StringUtils.hasText(property)) {
-				throw new IllegalArgumentException("Property must not null or empty!");
+				throw new IllegalArgumentException("Property must not be null or empty!");
 			}
 
 			this.direction = direction == null ? DEFAULT_DIRECTION : direction;