diff --git a/lib/command.js b/lib/command.js
index e01586a1d..d190512ed 100644
--- a/lib/command.js
+++ b/lib/command.js
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ class Command extends EventEmitter {
 
     this.commands.push(cmd);
     cmd.parent = this;
-    this._checkForIllegalPassThroughOptions(cmd, this);
+    this._checkForBrokenPassThrough(cmd, this);
 
     return this;
   }
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ Expecting one of '${allowedValues.join("', '")}'`);
    */
   passThroughOptions(passThrough = true) {
     this._passThroughOptions = !!passThrough;
-    this._checkForIllegalPassThroughOptions(this, this.parent);
+    this._checkForBrokenPassThrough(this, this.parent);
     return this;
   }
 
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ Expecting one of '${allowedValues.join("', '")}'`);
    * @api private
    */
 
-  _checkForIllegalPassThroughOptions(command, parent) {
+  _checkForBrokenPassThrough(command, parent) {
     if (parent && command._passThroughOptions && !parent._enablePositionalOptions) {
       throw new Error(`passThroughOptions cannot be used for '${command._name}' without turning on enablePositionalOptions for parent command${parent._name ? ` '${parent._name}'` : ''}`);
     }
diff --git a/tests/command.positionalOptions.test.js b/tests/command.positionalOptions.test.js
index 73dd7a877..82011e136 100644
--- a/tests/command.positionalOptions.test.js
+++ b/tests/command.positionalOptions.test.js
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ describe('program with action handler and positionalOptions and subcommand', ()
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-describe('illegal passThroughOptions', () => {
+describe('broken passThrough', () => {
   test('when program not positional and turn on passThroughOptions in subcommand then error', () => {
     const program = new commander.Command();
     const sub = program.command('sub');