diff --git a/python/res/fm/shell/shell.py b/python/res/fm/shell/shell.py
index 3d9a12340b..6da66d1bfc 100644
--- a/python/res/fm/shell/shell.py
+++ b/python/res/fm/shell/shell.py
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@ def symlink(target , link_name):
             target_check = os.path.join( link_path , target )
 
         if not os.path.exists( target_check ):
-            raise IOError("The target:%s does not exist" % target)
+            raise IOError(
+                "{} (target) and {} (link_name) requested, which implies that {} must exist, but it does not.".format(
+                    target, link_name, target_check
+                )
+            )
 
 
         if os.path.islink( link_name ):