diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 31e73e411..d7146f7d2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Newer updates can be found here: [GitHub Release Notes](https://github.com/airby
 
 # Changelog
 
+## 6.5.3
+
+Improve source container memory exhaustion error message.
+
 ## 6.5.2
 
 bugfix: Ensure that streams with partition router are not executed concurrently
diff --git a/airbyte_cdk/utils/memory_monitor.py b/airbyte_cdk/utils/memory_monitor.py
index ac35735f9..833dc0b9c 100644
--- a/airbyte_cdk/utils/memory_monitor.py
+++ b/airbyte_cdk/utils/memory_monitor.py
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def check_memory_usage(self) -> None:
                 anon_share = anon_bytes / usage_bytes
                 if anon_share >= _ANON_SHARE_OF_USAGE_THRESHOLD:
                     raise AirbyteTracedException(
-                        message=f"Source memory usage exceeded critical threshold ({usage_percent}% of container limit).",
+                        message="Source container memory exceeded the critical usage limit.",
                         internal_message=(
                             f"Cgroup memory: {_format_bytes(usage_bytes)} / "
                             f"{_format_bytes(limit_bytes)} ({usage_percent}%). "
diff --git a/unit_tests/utils/test_memory_monitor.py b/unit_tests/utils/test_memory_monitor.py
index 27975707b..ffbfc89ec 100644
--- a/unit_tests/utils/test_memory_monitor.py
+++ b/unit_tests/utils/test_memory_monitor.py
@@ -388,9 +388,9 @@ def test_raises_when_cgroup_critical_and_anon_share_of_usage_above_threshold() -
         with pytest.raises(AirbyteTracedException) as exc_info:
             monitor.check_memory_usage()
     assert exc_info.value.failure_type == FailureType.system_error
-    assert "critical threshold" in (exc_info.value.message or "")
-    assert "96%" in (exc_info.value.message or "")
+    assert exc_info.value.message == "Source container memory exceeded the critical usage limit."
     assert "anon share of usage" in (exc_info.value.internal_message or "")
+    assert "96%" in (exc_info.value.internal_message or "")
     # Human-readable byte formatting: 960 MB usage, 1.00 GB limit, 840 MB anon.
     internal = exc_info.value.internal_message or ""
     assert "960.00 MB" in internal