diff --git a/contracts/eosio.system/eosio.system.cpp b/contracts/eosio.system/eosio.system.cpp
index 6034468a6a13dbc41ad9b5855850e30037c40e14..a54473bf7c2b98afa339eb54c397b1651cdbf9ec 100644
--- a/contracts/eosio.system/eosio.system.cpp
+++ b/contracts/eosio.system/eosio.system.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ namespace eosiosystem {
    void system_contract::setram( uint64_t max_ram_size ) {
       require_auth( _self );
 
-      eosio_assert( _gstate.max_ram_size < max_ram_size, "ram can only be increased" ); /// decreasing ram might result market maker issues
+      eosio_assert( _gstate.max_ram_size < max_ram_size, "ram may only be increased" ); /// decreasing ram might result market maker issues
       eosio_assert( max_ram_size < 1024ll*1024*1024*1024*1024, "ram size is unrealistic" );
       eosio_assert( max_ram_size > _gstate.total_ram_bytes_reserved, "attempt to set max below reserved" );