diff --git a/compiler/semtypes.nim b/compiler/semtypes.nim
index 503e2fde898a..14ad72fcaeed 100644
--- a/compiler/semtypes.nim
+++ b/compiler/semtypes.nim
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ proc semRangeAux(c: PContext, n: PNode, prev: PType): PType =
 
     elif not isOrdinalType(rangeT[0]) and rangeT[0].kind notin {tyFloat..tyFloat128} or
         rangeT[0].kind == tyBool:
-      localError(c.config, n.info, "ordinal or float type expected")
+      localError(c.config, n.info, "ordinal or float type expected, but got " & typeToString(rangeT[0]))
     elif enumHasHoles(rangeT[0]):
       localError(c.config, n.info, "enum '$1' has holes" % typeToString(rangeT[0]))