diff --git a/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi.go b/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi.go
index 2dcc48492..4a2df7ef5 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (v *Venafi) Sign(ctx context.Context, csr *certificatesv1.CertificateSignin
 	if err != nil {
 		switch err.(type) {
 		case endpoint.ErrCertificatePending, endpoint.ErrRetrieveCertificateTimeout:
-			message := "Venafi certificate still in a pending state, the request will be retried"
+			message := "Venafi certificate still in a pending state, waiting"
 			log.Error(err, message)
 			v.recorder.Event(csr, corev1.EventTypeNormal, "IssuancePending", message)
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi_test.go b/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi_test.go
index be4045e80..066f47434 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/certificatesigningrequests/venafi/venafi_test.go
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ func TestProcessItem(t *testing.T) {
 			builder: &testpkg.Builder{
 				CertManagerObjects: []runtime.Object{baseIssuer.DeepCopy()},
 				ExpectedEvents: []string{
-					"Normal IssuancePending Venafi certificate still in a pending state, the request will be retried",
+					"Normal IssuancePending Venafi certificate still in a pending state, waiting",
 				},
 				ExpectedActions: []testpkg.Action{
 					testpkg.NewAction(coretesting.NewCreateAction(
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ func TestProcessItem(t *testing.T) {
 			builder: &testpkg.Builder{
 				CertManagerObjects: []runtime.Object{baseIssuer.DeepCopy()},
 				ExpectedEvents: []string{
-					"Normal IssuancePending Venafi certificate still in a pending state, the request will be retried",
+					"Normal IssuancePending Venafi certificate still in a pending state, waiting",
 				},
 				ExpectedActions: []testpkg.Action{
 					testpkg.NewAction(coretesting.NewCreateAction(