diff --git a/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c b/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
index a5e5801ada6a6540d5ed3086dfa6653a88192014..a7a69e5f457f2729c0ff6065b865b7f1b141ab7a 100644
--- a/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
+++ b/src/kit/shell/src/shellEngine.c
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ void read_history() {
 
   FILE *f = fopen(f_history, "r");
   if (f == NULL) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Opening file %s\n", f_history);
+    fprintf(stderr, "Failed to open file %s\n", f_history);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ void write_history() {
 
   FILE *f = fopen(f_history, "w");
   if (f == NULL) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "Opening file %s\n", f_history);
+    fprintf(stderr, "Failed to open file %s for write\n", f_history);
     return;
   }