diff --git a/init/do_mounts.c b/init/do_mounts.c
index 2974c8b3b351..0e93f92a0345 100644
--- a/init/do_mounts.c
+++ b/init/do_mounts.c
@@ -373,8 +373,8 @@ void __init mount_block_root(char *name, int flags)
 #ifdef CONFIG_BLOCK
 		__bdevname(ROOT_DEV, b);
 #endif
-		printk("VFS: Cannot open root device \"%s\" or %s\n",
-				root_device_name, b);
+		printk("VFS: Cannot open root device \"%s\" or %s: error %d\n",
+				root_device_name, b, err);
 		printk("Please append a correct \"root=\" boot option; here are the available partitions:\n");
 
 		printk_all_partitions();