diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index 39aae24f79b4529f200b04a2e7f975c4f73da09a..0d4f3fa49545d05248715d2eb09779b29a715d8f 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -541,7 +541,8 @@ __virExec(virConnectPtr conn,
                 usleep(500*1000);
                 kill(pid, SIGTERM);
                 virReportSystemError(conn, errno,
-                                     "%s", _("could not write pidfile"));
+                                     _("could not write pidfile %s for %d"),
+                                     pidfile, pid);
                 _exit(1);
             }
             _exit(0);