diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/path/PathCompiler.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/path/PathCompiler.java
index e11c4c02..8961bda5 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/path/PathCompiler.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/path/PathCompiler.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public class PathCompiler {
         path.incrementPosition(1);
 
         if(path.currentChar() != PERIOD && path.currentChar() != OPEN_SQUARE_BRACKET){
-            fail("Illegal character at position " + path.position() + " expected '.' or '[");
+            fail("Illegal character at position " + path.position() + " expected '.' or '['");
         }
 
         PathTokenAppender appender = pathToken.getPathTokenAppender();