diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/output.txt b/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/output.txt
index 0cb274fc6..39417b380 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/output.txt
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/output.txt
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ Exit code: 1
   }
 }
 
->>> errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --target without-defaults --var-file=var_files/empty.json
-Error: failed to read variables file: open var_files/empty.json: no such file or directory
+>>> errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --target without-defaults --var-file=var_files/without_required.json
+Error: no value assigned to required variable cluster_workers. Assignment can be done through the "--var" or "--var-file" flag or by setting the BUNDLE_VAR_cluster_workers environment variable
 
 
 Exit code: 1
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/script b/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/script
index 147ce5acb..242df8e58 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/script
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/variables/var_file_overrides/script
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ trace errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --var-file=var_files/complex_to_strin
 trace errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --var-file=var_files/string_to_complex.json | jq $cluster_expr
 
 # variable is required but it's not provided in the file
-trace errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --target without-defaults --var-file=var_files/empty.json | jq $cluster_expr
+trace errcode $CLI bundle validate -o json --target without-defaults --var-file=var_files/without_required.json | jq $cluster_expr