diff --git a/bitcask.go b/bitcask.go
index 5b2c017..fab6bdf 100644
--- a/bitcask.go
+++ b/bitcask.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	ErrKeyNotFound       = errors.New("error: key not found")
-	ErrCannotAcquireLock = errors.New("error: cannot acquire lock")
+	ErrDatabaseLocked = errors.New("error: database locked")
 )
 
 type Bitcask struct {
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ func Open(path string, options ...func(*Bitcask) error) (*Bitcask, error) {
 	}
 
 	if !locked {
-		return nil, ErrCannotAcquireLock
+		return nil, ErrDatabaseLocked
 	}
 
 	return bitcask, nil
diff --git a/bitcask_test.go b/bitcask_test.go
index 366cf0b..0f4ecc1 100644
--- a/bitcask_test.go
+++ b/bitcask_test.go
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func TestLocking(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, err = Open(testdir)
 	assert.Error(err)
-	assert.Equal("error: cannot acquire lock", err.Error())
+	assert.Equal("error: database locked", err.Error())
 }
 
 type benchmarkTestCase struct {