diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/common/validation/SourceDestValidator.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/common/validation/SourceDestValidator.java
index 9adb668265151..49bdf60ad0b18 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/common/validation/SourceDestValidator.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/common/validation/SourceDestValidator.java
@@ -70,9 +70,12 @@ public final class SourceDestValidator {
     public static final String REMOTE_CLUSTER_LICENSE_INACTIVE = "License check failed for remote cluster "
         + "alias [{0}], license is not active";
     public static final String REMOTE_SOURCE_INDICES_NOT_SUPPORTED = "remote source indices are not supported";
-    public static final String REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TOO_OLD =
+    public static final String REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TRANSPORT_TOO_OLD =
         "remote clusters are expected to run at least transport version [{0}] (reason: [{1}]),"
             + " but the following clusters were too old: [{2}]";
+    public static final String REMOTE_CLUSTERS_CONFIG_TOO_OLD =
+        "remote clusters are expected to run at least config version [{0}] (reason: [{1}]),"
+            + " but the following clusters were too old: [{2}]";
     public static final String PIPELINE_MISSING = "Pipeline with id [{0}] could not be found";
 
     private final IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver;
@@ -490,7 +493,7 @@ public void validate(Context context, ActionListener<Context> listener) {
                 .collect(toMap(Map.Entry::getKey, Map.Entry::getValue));
             if (oldRemoteClusterVersions.isEmpty() == false) {
                 context.addValidationError(
-                    REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TOO_OLD,
+                    REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TRANSPORT_TOO_OLD,
                     minExpectedVersion,
                     reason,
                     oldRemoteClusterVersions.entrySet()
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedAction.java
index 4028054368907..66ad07e76bca1 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedAction.java
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
-import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.common.validation.SourceDestValidator.REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TOO_OLD;
+import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.common.validation.SourceDestValidator.REMOTE_CLUSTERS_CONFIG_TOO_OLD;
 
 /* This class extends from TransportMasterNodeAction for cluster state observing purposes.
  The stop datafeed api also redirect the elected master node.
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ static void checkRemoteConfigVersions(
 
         throw ExceptionsHelper.badRequestException(
             Messages.getMessage(
-                REMOTE_CLUSTERS_TOO_OLD,
+                REMOTE_CLUSTERS_CONFIG_TOO_OLD,
                 minVersion.toString(),
                 reason,
                 Strings.collectionToCommaDelimitedString(clustersTooOld)
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedActionTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedActionTests.java
index 1d1d99d028f97..4a66a2836273e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedActionTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/TransportStartDatafeedActionTests.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public void testRemoteClusterVersionCheck() {
         assertThat(
             ex.getMessage(),
             containsString(
-                "remote clusters are expected to run at least version [7.11.0] (reason: [runtime_mappings]), "
+                "remote clusters are expected to run at least config version [7.11.0] (reason: [runtime_mappings]), "
                     + "but the following clusters were too old: [old_cluster_1]"
             )
         );