diff --git a/mercurial/verify.py b/mercurial/verify.py
--- a/mercurial/verify.py
+++ b/mercurial/verify.py
@@ -72,10 +72,11 @@ def _verify(repo):
     def checkentry(obj, i, node, seen, linkrevs, f):
         lr = obj.linkrev(obj.rev(node))
         if lr < 0 or (havecl and lr not in linkrevs):
-            t = "unexpected"
             if lr < 0 or lr >= len(cl):
-                t = "nonexistent"
-            err(None, _("rev %d point to %s changeset %d") % (i, t, lr), f)
+                msg = _("rev %d points to nonexistent changeset %d")
+            else:
+                msg = _("rev %d points to unexpected changeset %d")
+            err(None, msg % (i, lr), f)
             if linkrevs:
                 warn(_(" (expected %s)") % " ".join(map(str,linkrevs)))
             lr = None # can't be trusted