diff --git a/docs/openapi.yaml b/docs/openapi.yaml
index 10c9933c6..6f87214d3 100644
--- a/docs/openapi.yaml
+++ b/docs/openapi.yaml
@@ -2208,7 +2208,7 @@ paths:
                         httpStatus: "CONFLICT"
                         httpStatusCode: 409
                       - field: "scale.dataType"
-                        errorMessage: "Missing scale data type"
+                        errorMessage: "Missing scale class"
                         httpStatus: "UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY"
                         httpStatusCode: 422
                       - field: "scale.categories"
@@ -2346,7 +2346,7 @@ paths:
                         httpStatus: "CONFLICT"
                         httpStatusCode: 409
                       - field: "scale.dataType"
-                        errorMessage: "Missing scale data type"
+                        errorMessage: "Missing scale class"
                         httpStatus: "UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY"
                         httpStatusCode: 422
                       - field: "scale.categories"
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/services/validators/TraitValidatorError.java b/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/services/validators/TraitValidatorError.java
index 261a85dac..107f5e28f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/services/validators/TraitValidatorError.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/breedinginsight/services/validators/TraitValidatorError.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public ValidationError getMissingScaleNameMsg() {
 
     @Override
     public ValidationError getMissingScaleDataTypeMsg() {
-        return new ValidationError("scale.dataType", "Missing scale data type", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+        return new ValidationError("scale.dataType", "Missing scale class", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
     }
 
     @Override