diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/importer/gcimporter_test.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/importer/gcimporter_test.go
index 5d61b6608968bd..965c5d1a84b3c0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/importer/gcimporter_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/importer/gcimporter_test.go
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func TestVersionHandling(t *testing.T) {
 		_, err := Import(make(map[string]*types2.Package), pkgpath, dir, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			// ok to fail if it fails with a 'not the start of an archive file' error for select files
-			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no longer supported") {
+			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not the start of an archive file") {
 				switch name {
 				case "test_go1.8_4.a",
 					"test_go1.8_5.a":