diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
index 635453ab834..bbf73833534 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
@@ -1073,9 +1073,8 @@ public class HttpHeaders implements MultiValueMap<String, String>, Serializable
 	 */
 	public void setETag(@Nullable String etag) {
 		if (etag != null) {
-			Assert.isTrue(etag.startsWith("\"") || etag.startsWith("W/"),
-					"Invalid ETag: does not start with W/ or \"");
-			Assert.isTrue(etag.endsWith("\""), "Invalid ETag: does not end with \"");
+			Assert.isTrue(etag.startsWith("\"") || etag.startsWith("W/\""), "ETag does not start with W/\" or \"");
+			Assert.isTrue(etag.endsWith("\""), "ETag does not end with \"");
 			set(ETAG, etag);
 		}
 		else {
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
index 519a6c9d783..c0057254bc0 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
@@ -214,11 +214,17 @@ class HttpHeadersTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void illegalETag() {
+	void illegalETagWithoutQuotes() {
 		String eTag = "v2.6";
 		assertThatIllegalArgumentException().isThrownBy(() -> headers.setETag(eTag));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void illegalWeakETagWithoutLeadingQuote() {
+		String etag = "W/v2.6\"";
+		assertThatIllegalArgumentException().isThrownBy(() -> headers.setETag(etag));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void ifMatch() {
 		String ifMatch = "\"v2.6\"";