diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/verifier_map_ptr.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/verifier_map_ptr.c
index e2767d27d8aa..d8e822d1a8ba 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/verifier_map_ptr.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/verifier_map_ptr.c
@@ -70,13 +70,15 @@ __naked void bpf_map_ptr_write_rejected(void)
 	: __clobber_all);
 }
 
-/* The first element of struct bpf_map is a SHA256 hash of 32 bytes, accessing
- * into this array is valid. The opts field is now at offset 33.
+/*
+ * struct bpf_map starts with the SHA256 hash sha[32] at offset 0 (a readable
+ * byte array), followed by the u32 excl field at offset 32. Reading a u32 at
+ * offset 33 runs past the end of excl and is rejected.
  */
 SEC("socket")
 __description("bpf_map_ptr: read non-existent field rejected")
 __failure
-__msg("cannot access ptr member ops with moff 32 in struct bpf_map with off 33 size 4")
+__msg("access beyond the end of member excl (mend:36) in struct bpf_map with off 33 size 4")
 __failure_unpriv
 __msg_unpriv("access is allowed only to CAP_PERFMON and CAP_SYS_ADMIN")
 __flag(BPF_F_ANY_ALIGNMENT)