diff --git a/lib/charms/hpc_libs/v0/is_container.py b/lib/charms/hpc_libs/v0/is_container.py
index 0d7b0b5..f5aa999 100644
--- a/lib/charms/hpc_libs/v0/is_container.py
+++ b/lib/charms/hpc_libs/v0/is_container.py
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ def _on_install(self, _: InstallEvent) -> None:
 LIBPATCH = 1
 
 
-class DetectVirtNotFoundError(Exception):
-    """Raise error if `systemd-detect-virt` executable is not found on machine."""
+class UnknownVirtStateError(Exception):
+    """Raise error if unknown virtualization state is returned."""
 
     @property
     def message(self) -> str:
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def is_container() -> bool:
         DetectVirtNotFoundError: Raised if `systemd-detect-virt` is not found on machine.
     """
     if shutil.which("systemd-detect-virt") is None:
-        raise DetectVirtNotFoundError(
+        raise UnknownVirtStateError(
             (
                 "executable `systemd-detect-virt` not found. "
                 + "cannot determine if machine is a container instance"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_is_container.py b/tests/unit/test_is_container.py
index 48496b4..1cdb533 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_is_container.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_is_container.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from unittest import TestCase
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
-from charms.hpc_libs.v0.is_container import DetectVirtNotFoundError, is_container
+from charms.hpc_libs.v0.is_container import UnknownVirtStateError, is_container
 
 
 @patch("charms.hpc_libs.v0.is_container.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/systemd-detect-virt")
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def test_detect_virt_not_found(self, _, which) -> None:
 
         try:
             is_container()
-        except DetectVirtNotFoundError as e:
+        except UnknownVirtStateError as e:
             self.assertEqual(
                 e.message,
                 (