diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/status.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/status.go
index 87eb6151e..54211d186 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/status.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/status.go
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func isRunningOrStarting(st *ipnstate.Status) (description string, ok bool) {
 		}
 		return s, false
 	case ipn.NeedsMachineAuth.String():
-		return "Machine is not yet authorized by tailnet admin.", false
+		return "Machine is not yet approved by tailnet admin.", false
 	case ipn.Running.String(), ipn.Starting.String():
 		return st.BackendState, true
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/up.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/up.go
index bd1d04c81..a69064682 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/up.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/up.go
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ func runUp(ctx context.Context, cmd string, args []string, upArgs upArgsT) (retE
 					if env.upArgs.json {
 						printUpDoneJSON(ipn.NeedsMachineAuth, "")
 					} else {
-						fmt.Fprintf(Stderr, "\nTo authorize your machine, visit (as admin):\n\n\t%s\n\n", prefs.AdminPageURL())
+						fmt.Fprintf(Stderr, "\nTo approve your machine, visit (as admin):\n\n\t%s\n\n", prefs.AdminPageURL())
 					}
 				case ipn.Running:
 					// Done full authentication process