diff --git a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
index 70145beacc5fe23eb13b8ea40fa7832f81279e29..6b65caf4e4262a5ded1709a5f2aa8125983a14e7 100644
--- a/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
+++ b/meshmode/mesh/__init__.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ class TensorProductElementGroup(MeshElementGroup):
 
         if vertex_indices.shape[-1] != 2**dims:
             raise ValueError("vertex_indices has wrong number of vertices per "
-                    "element. expected: %d, got: %d" % (dims+1,
+                    "element. expected: %d, got: %d" % (2**dims,
                         vertex_indices.shape[-1]))
 
         super(TensorProductElementGroup, self).__init__(order, vertex_indices, nodes,