diff --git a/src/ripple/common/impl/RippleSSLContext.cpp b/src/ripple/common/impl/RippleSSLContext.cpp
index aa4116d8d..0efd0e04d 100644
--- a/src/ripple/common/impl/RippleSSLContext.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/common/impl/RippleSSLContext.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "../../beast/modules/beast_core/beast_core.h"
 
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <sstream>
 
 namespace ripple {
 
@@ -46,6 +47,18 @@ public:
         return DHparams_dup (getDH (key_length));
     }
 
+    // Pretty prints an error message
+    std::string error_message (std::string const& what,
+        boost::system::error_code const& ec)
+    {
+        std::stringstream ss;
+        ss <<
+            what << ": " <<
+            ec.message() <<
+            " (" << ec.value() << ")";
+        return ss.str();
+    }
+
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     static std::string getRawDHParams (int keySize)
@@ -123,14 +136,15 @@ public:
 
         if (! cert_file.empty ())
         {
-            boost::system::error_code error;
+            boost::system::error_code ec;
             
             m_context.use_certificate_file (
-                cert_file, boost::asio::ssl::context::pem, error);
+                cert_file, boost::asio::ssl::context::pem, ec);
 
-            if (error)
+            if (ec)
             {
-                beast::FatalError ("Problem with SSL certificate file.",
+                beast::FatalError (error_message (
+                    "Problem with SSL certificate file.", ec).c_str(),
                     __FILE__, __LINE__);
             }
 
@@ -144,7 +158,9 @@ public:
 
             if (!f)
             {
-                beast::FatalError ("Problem opening SSL chain file.",
+                beast::FatalError (error_message (
+                    "Problem opening SSL chain file.", boost::system::error_code (errno,
+                    boost::system::generic_category())).c_str(),
                     __FILE__, __LINE__);
             }
 
@@ -185,14 +201,15 @@ public:
 
         if (! key_file.empty ())
         {
-            boost::system::error_code error;
+            boost::system::error_code ec;
 
             m_context.use_private_key_file (key_file,
-                boost::asio::ssl::context::pem, error);
+                boost::asio::ssl::context::pem, ec);
 
-            if (error)
+            if (ec)
             {
-                beast::FatalError ("Problem using the SSL private key file.",
+                beast::FatalError (error_message (
+                    "Problem using the SSL private key file.", ec).c_str(),
                     __FILE__, __LINE__);
             }
         }