diff --git a/hed/tools/remodeling/operations/merge_consecutive_op.py b/hed/tools/remodeling/operations/merge_consecutive_op.py
index bddbbfd3f..ae49f2c80 100644
--- a/hed/tools/remodeling/operations/merge_consecutive_op.py
+++ b/hed/tools/remodeling/operations/merge_consecutive_op.py
@@ -188,5 +188,5 @@ def validate_input_data(parameters):
         match_columns = parameters.get("match_columns", None)
         name = parameters.get("column_name", None)
         if match_columns and name in match_columns:
-            return [f"column_name `{name}` cannot not be a match_column."]
+            return [f"column_name `{name}` cannot be a match_column."]
         return []
diff --git a/tests/tools/remodeling/test_validator.py b/tests/tools/remodeling/test_validator.py
index 14854a1bb..fca28a3c2 100644
--- a/tests/tools/remodeling/test_validator.py
+++ b/tests/tools/remodeling/test_validator.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def test_validate_parameter_data(self):
         merge_consecutive_validate[0]["parameters"]["match_columns"].append("trial_type")
         error_strings = self.validator.validate(merge_consecutive_validate)
         self.assertEqual(error_strings[0], "Operation 1 (merge_consecutive): column_name `trial_type` " +
-                         "cannot not be a match_column.")
+                         "cannot be a match_column.")
 
         remap_columns_validate_same_length = [deepcopy(self.remodel_file)[5]]
         remap_columns_validate_same_length[0]["parameters"]["map_list"][0] = [""]