diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/placement/handlers/allocation.py b/nova/api/openstack/placement/handlers/allocation.py
index 8d5cadd184..1e028efde0 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/placement/handlers/allocation.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/placement/handlers/allocation.py
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@ def _set_allocations(req, schema):
     # capacity limits have been exceeded.
     except exception.NotFound as exc:
         raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(
-                _("Unable to allocate inventory for resource provider "
-                  "%(rp_uuid)s: %(error)s") %
-            {'rp_uuid': resource_provider_uuid, 'error': exc})
+                _("Unable to allocate inventory for consumer "
+                  "%(consumer_uuid)s: %(error)s") %
+            {'consumer_uuid': consumer_uuid, 'error': exc})
     except exception.InvalidInventory as exc:
         raise webob.exc.HTTPConflict(
             _('Unable to allocate inventory: %(error)s') % {'error': exc})
diff --git a/nova/tests/functional/api/openstack/placement/gabbits/allocations.yaml b/nova/tests/functional/api/openstack/placement/gabbits/allocations.yaml
index b07ee9342b..bf9b648332 100644
--- a/nova/tests/functional/api/openstack/placement/gabbits/allocations.yaml
+++ b/nova/tests/functional/api/openstack/placement/gabbits/allocations.yaml
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ tests:
                 COWS: 12
   status: 400
   response_strings:
+      - Unable to allocate inventory for consumer
       - No such resource class COWS
   response_json_paths:
       $.errors[0].title: Bad Request