diff --git a/app/notifications/rest.py b/app/notifications/rest.py
index 233ceb065..c960a6aef 100644
--- a/app/notifications/rest.py
+++ b/app/notifications/rest.py
@@ -220,8 +220,8 @@ def send_notification(notification_type):
     )
 
     if notification_type != template.template_type:
-        raise InvalidRequest("{0} template is not suitable for a {1} notification".format(template.template_type,
-                                                                                          notification_type),
+        raise InvalidRequest("{0} template is not suitable for {1} notification".format(template.template_type,
+                                                                                        notification_type),
                              status_code=400)
 
     errors = unarchived_template_schema.validate({'archived': template.archived})
diff --git a/tests/app/notifications/rest/test_send_notification.py b/tests/app/notifications/rest/test_send_notification.py
index 59aa8754c..2d7cd43ab 100644
--- a/tests/app/notifications/rest/test_send_notification.py
+++ b/tests/app/notifications/rest/test_send_notification.py
@@ -1024,5 +1024,5 @@ def test_should_error_if_notification_type_does_not_match_template_type(
     assert response.status_code == 400
     json_resp = json.loads(response.get_data(as_text=True))
     assert json_resp['result'] == 'error'
-    assert '{0} template is not suitable for a {1} notification'.format(template_type, notification_type) \
+    assert '{0} template is not suitable for {1} notification'.format(template_type, notification_type) \
            in json_resp['message']