diff --git a/enrol/flatfile/lib.php b/enrol/flatfile/lib.php
index 3c839d0854c..7e018251cd2 100644
--- a/enrol/flatfile/lib.php
+++ b/enrol/flatfile/lib.php
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class enrol_flatfile_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
             if(! @unlink($filename)) {
                 $eventdata = new stdClass();
                 $eventdata->modulename        = 'moodle';
-                $eventdata->component         = 'course';
+                $eventdata->component         = 'enrol_flatfile';
                 $eventdata->name              = 'flatfile_enrolment';
                 $eventdata->userfrom          = get_admin();
                 $eventdata->userto            = get_admin();
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class enrol_flatfile_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
                 // Send mail to admin
                 $eventdata = new stdClass();
                 $eventdata->modulename        = 'moodle';
-                $eventdata->component         = 'course';
+                $eventdata->component         = 'enrol_flatfile';
                 $eventdata->name              = 'flatfile_enrolment';
                 $eventdata->userfrom          = get_admin();
                 $eventdata->userto            = get_admin();
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class enrol_flatfile_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
 
                 $eventdata = new stdClass();
                 $eventdata->modulename        = 'moodle';
-                $eventdata->component         = 'course';
+                $eventdata->component         = 'enrol_flatfile';
                 $eventdata->name              = 'flatfile_enrolment';
                 $eventdata->userfrom          = $teacher;
                 $eventdata->userto            = $user;
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class enrol_flatfile_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
 
                     $eventdata = new stdClass();
                     $eventdata->modulename        = 'moodle';
-                    $eventdata->component         = 'course';
+                    $eventdata->component         = 'enrol_flatfile';
                     $eventdata->name              = 'flatfile_enrolment';
                     $eventdata->userfrom          = $user;
                     $eventdata->userto            = $teacher;
diff --git a/lang/en/message.php b/lang/en/message.php
index 5594c8ccd57..1a2c7514a4a 100644
--- a/lang/en/message.php
+++ b/lang/en/message.php
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ $string['blocknoncontacts'] = 'Prevent non-contacts from messaging me';
 $string['contactlistempty'] = 'Your contact list is empty';
 $string['contacts'] = 'Contacts';
 $string['context'] = 'context';
-$string['couldnotfindpreference'] = 'Could not load preference {$a}. Does the component and name you supplied to message_send() match a row in message_providers? Message providers must appear in the database so users can configure how they will be notified when they receive messages.';
 $string['defaultmessageoutputs'] = 'Default message outputs';
 $string['defaults'] = 'Defaults';
 $string['deletemessagesdays'] = 'Number of days before old messages are automatically deleted';
diff --git a/lib/messagelib.php b/lib/messagelib.php
index 3ab00ead83b..d4641068ae8 100644
--- a/lib/messagelib.php
+++ b/lib/messagelib.php
@@ -155,10 +155,11 @@ function message_send($eventdata) {
         if (isset($defaultpreferences->{$defaultpreference})) {
             $permitted = $defaultpreferences->{$defaultpreference};
         } else {
-            //MDL-25114 They supplied an $eventdata->component $eventdata->name combination which doesn't
-            //exist in the message_provider table (thus there is no default settings for them)
-            $preferrormsg = get_string('couldnotfindpreference', 'message', $defaultpreference);
-            throw new coding_exception($preferrormsg,'blah');
+            // MDL-25114 They supplied an $eventdata->component $eventdata->name combination which doesn't
+            // exist in the message_provider table (thus there is no default settings for them).
+            $preferrormsg = "Could not load preference $defaultpreference. Make sure the component and name you supplied
+                    to message_send() are valid.";
+            throw new coding_exception($preferrormsg);
         }
 
         // Find out if user has configured this output