diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/config_flow.py b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/config_flow.py
index df7f64c376e..8eae4ab49f2 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/config_flow.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/config_flow.py
@@ -30,14 +30,11 @@ class SFRBoxFlowHandler(ConfigFlow, domain=DOMAIN):
         """Handle a flow initialized by the user."""
         errors = {}
         if user_input is not None:
+            box = SFRBox(ip=user_input[CONF_HOST], client=get_async_client(self.hass))
             try:
-                box = SFRBox(
-                    ip=user_input[CONF_HOST],
-                    client=get_async_client(self.hass),
-                )
                 system_info = await box.system_get_info()
             except SFRBoxError:
-                errors["base"] = "unknown"
+                errors["base"] = "cannot_connect"
             else:
                 await self.async_set_unique_id(system_info.mac_addr)
                 self._abort_if_unique_id_configured()
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/strings.json b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/strings.json
index 675a179dfd3..52d57eda809 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/strings.json
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/strings.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
       }
     },
     "error": {
-      "unknown": "[%key:common::config_flow::error::unknown%]"
+      "cannot_connect": "[%key:common::config_flow::error::cannot_connect%]"
     },
     "abort": {
       "already_configured": "[%key:common::config_flow::abort::already_configured_device%]"
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/translations/en.json b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/translations/en.json
index 0bfaeb19d9d..10441d21536 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/translations/en.json
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sfr_box/translations/en.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
             "already_configured": "Device is already configured"
         },
         "error": {
-            "unknown": "Unexpected error"
+            "cannot_connect": "Failed to connect"
         },
         "step": {
             "user": {
diff --git a/tests/components/sfr_box/test_config_flow.py b/tests/components/sfr_box/test_config_flow.py
index a8625b90eee..ecdebad66e2 100644
--- a/tests/components/sfr_box/test_config_flow.py
+++ b/tests/components/sfr_box/test_config_flow.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async def test_config_flow(hass: HomeAssistant, mock_setup_entry: AsyncMock):
         )
 
     assert result["type"] == data_entry_flow.FlowResultType.FORM
-    assert result["errors"] == {"base": "unknown"}
+    assert result["errors"] == {"base": "cannot_connect"}
 
     system_info = SystemInfo(**json.loads(load_fixture("system_getInfo.json", DOMAIN)))
     with patch(