diff --git a/packages/kbn-code-owners/src/file_code_owner.ts b/packages/kbn-code-owners/src/file_code_owner.ts
index f413d7f975df0..525a2964c7338 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-code-owners/src/file_code_owner.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-code-owners/src/file_code_owner.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export async function runGetOwnersForFileCli() {
   run(
     async ({ flags, log }) => {
       const targetFile = flags.file as string;
-      if (!targetFile) throw createFlagError(`Missing --flag argument`);
+      if (!targetFile) throw createFlagError(`Missing --file argument`);
       existOrThrow(targetFile); // This call is duplicated in getPathsWithOwnersReversed(), so this is a short circuit
       const result = getCodeOwnersForFile(targetFile);
       if (result) log.success(result);