diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/git/exception/InvalidGitRepository.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/git/exception/InvalidGitRepository.java
index 465a3fc726..de4129c44c 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/git/exception/InvalidGitRepository.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/git/exception/InvalidGitRepository.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ public class InvalidGitRepository extends GitUserException {
     @Override
     public List<String> getDescriptionLines() {
         return Arrays.asList(
-                "Your Git repository is invalid.",
+                "Your Git repository contains a reference we cannot resolve.",
                 "If your project contains a Git submodule,",
                 "please remove it and try again."
         );
diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/test/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/WLGitBridgeIntegrationTest.java b/services/git-bridge/src/test/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/WLGitBridgeIntegrationTest.java
index 6d8a2b45ac..2b630a3d01 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/test/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/WLGitBridgeIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/test/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/WLGitBridgeIntegrationTest.java
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ public class WLGitBridgeIntegrationTest {
     }
 
     private static final List<String> EXPECTED_OUT_PUSH_SUBMODULE = Arrays.asList(
-            "remote: hint: Your Git repository is invalid.",
+            "remote: hint: Your Git repository contains a reference we cannot resolve.",
             "remote: hint: If your project contains a Git submodule,",
             "remote: hint: please remove it and try again.",
             "To http://127.0.0.1:33875/testproj.git",