diff --git a/charms/jimm-k8s/src/charm.py b/charms/jimm-k8s/src/charm.py
index 8a5bd5504..57148f368 100755
--- a/charms/jimm-k8s/src/charm.py
+++ b/charms/jimm-k8s/src/charm.py
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@
 PROMETHEUS_PORT = 8080
 
 
-class DeferRequiredError(Exception):
-    """Used to indicate to the calling function that an event should be deferred."""
+class DeferError(Exception):
+    """Used to indicate to the calling function that an event could be deferred
+    if the hook needs to be retried."""
 
     pass
 
@@ -322,7 +323,7 @@ def _update_workload(self, event):
             else:
                 logger.info("workload not ready - returning")
                 return
-        except DeferRequiredError:
+        except DeferError:
             logger.info("workload container not ready - deferring")
             event.defer()
             return
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ def _on_stop(self, _):
             logger.info("failed to stop the jimm service: {}".format(e))
         try:
             self._ready()
-        except DeferRequiredError:
+        except DeferError:
             logger.info("workload not ready")
             return
 
@@ -363,7 +364,7 @@ def _on_update_status(self, _):
             return
         try:
             self._ready()
-        except DeferRequiredError:
+        except DeferError:
             logger.info("workload not ready")
             return
 
@@ -434,7 +435,7 @@ def _ready(self):
                 self.unit.status = WaitingStatus("stopped")
             return True
         else:
-            raise DeferRequiredError
+            raise DeferError
 
     def _get_network_address(self, event):
         return str(self.model.get_binding(event.relation).network.egress_subnets[0].network_address)