diff --git a/locale/circuitpython.pot b/locale/circuitpython.pot
index 20eb26e63a9f..de921ec87f07 100644
--- a/locale/circuitpython.pot
+++ b/locale/circuitpython.pot
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ msgid "IV must be %d bytes long"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
-msgid "In buffer elements must be 4 bytes long or less"
+msgid "In-buffer elements must be <= 4 bytes long"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: py/persistentcode.c
@@ -1687,10 +1687,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Operation timed out"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
-msgid "Out buffer elements must be 4 bytes long or less"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: ports/esp32s2/bindings/espidf/__init__.c ports/esp32s2/esp_error.c
 msgid "Out of memory"
 msgstr ""
@@ -1699,6 +1695,10 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Out of sockets"
 msgstr ""
 
+#: ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
+msgid "Out-buffer elements must be <= 4 bytes long"
+msgstr ""
+
 #: shared-bindings/bitops/__init__.c
 #, c-format
 msgid "Output buffer must be at least %d bytes"
diff --git a/ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c b/ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
index 77f61acd0318..444e00ace30b 100644
--- a/ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
+++ b/ports/raspberrypi/bindings/rp2pio/StateMachine.c
@@ -468,12 +468,12 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t rp2pio_statemachine_write_readinto(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t
 
     int in_stride_in_bytes = mp_binary_get_size('@', buf_in_info.typecode, NULL);
     if (in_stride_in_bytes > 4) {
-        mp_raise_ValueError(translate("In buffer elements must be 4 bytes long or less"));
+        mp_raise_ValueError(translate("In-buffer elements must be <= 4 bytes long"));
     }
 
     int out_stride_in_bytes = mp_binary_get_size('@', buf_out_info.typecode, NULL);
     if (out_stride_in_bytes > 4) {
-        mp_raise_ValueError(translate("Out buffer elements must be 4 bytes long or less"));
+        mp_raise_ValueError(translate("Out-buffer elements must be <= 4 bytes long"));
     }
 
     bool ok = common_hal_rp2pio_statemachine_write_readinto(self,