diff --git a/lib/kafs/afskrb5.c b/lib/kafs/afskrb5.c
index 272438f99..42354615e 100644
--- a/lib/kafs/afskrb5.c
+++ b/lib/kafs/afskrb5.c
@@ -191,6 +191,20 @@ get_cred(struct kafs_data *data, const char *name, const char *inst,
     return ret;
 }
 
+static const char *
+get_error(struct kafs_data *data, int error)
+{
+    struct krb5_kafs_data *d = data->data;
+    return krb5_get_error_message(d->context, error);
+}
+
+static void
+free_error(struct kafs_data *data, const char *str)
+{
+    struct krb5_kafs_data *d = data->data;
+    krb5_free_error_message(d->context, str);
+}
+
 static krb5_error_code
 afslog_uid_int(struct kafs_data *data, const char *cell, const char *rh,
 	       uid_t uid, const char *homedir)
@@ -250,6 +264,8 @@ krb5_afslog_uid_home(krb5_context context,
     kd.afslog_uid = afslog_uid_int;
     kd.get_cred = get_cred;
     kd.get_realm = get_realm;
+    kd.get_error = get_error;
+    kd.free_error = free_error;
     kd.data = &d;
     if (context == NULL) {
 	ret = krb5_init_context(&d.context);
@@ -313,6 +329,8 @@ krb5_realm_of_cell(const char *cell, char **realm)
 
     kd.name = "krb5";
     kd.get_realm = get_realm;
+    kd.get_error = get_error;
+    kd.free_error = free_error;
     return _kafs_realm_of_cell(&kd, cell, realm);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/kafs/common.c b/lib/kafs/common.c
index 80eeecbdf..0ef7b6494 100644
--- a/lib/kafs/common.c
+++ b/lib/kafs/common.c
@@ -378,11 +378,14 @@ _kafs_try_get_cred(struct kafs_data *data, const char *user, const char *cell,
 
     ret = (*data->get_cred)(data, user, cell, realm, uid, kt);
     if (kafs_verbose) {
+	const char *estr = (*data->get_error)(data, ret);
 	char *str;
-	asprintf(&str, "%s tried afs%s%s@%s -> %d",
-		 data->name, cell[0] == '\0' ? "" : "/",
-		 cell, realm, ret);
+	asprintf(&str, "%s tried afs%s%s@%s -> %s (%d)",
+		 data->name, cell ? "/" : "",
+		 cell ? cell : "", realm, estr ? estr : "unknown", ret);
 	(*kafs_verbose)(kafs_verbose_ctx, str);
+	if (estr)
+	    (*data->free_error)(data, estr);
 	free(str);
     }
 
@@ -431,7 +434,7 @@ _kafs_get_cred(struct kafs_data *data,
 				 cell, realm_hint, uid, kt);
 	if (ret == 0) return 0;
 	ret = _kafs_try_get_cred(data, AUTH_SUPERUSER,
-				 "", realm_hint, uid, kt);
+				 NULL, realm_hint, uid, kt);
 	if (ret == 0) return 0;
     }
 
@@ -452,7 +455,7 @@ _kafs_get_cred(struct kafs_data *data,
      */
     if (strcmp(CELL, realm) == 0) {
         ret = _kafs_try_get_cred(data, AUTH_SUPERUSER,
-				 "", realm, uid, kt);
+				 NULL, realm, uid, kt);
 	if (ret == 0) return 0;
     }
 
@@ -463,7 +466,7 @@ _kafs_get_cred(struct kafs_data *data,
      * Try afs.cell@CELL.
      */
     ret = _kafs_try_get_cred(data, AUTH_SUPERUSER,
-			     "", CELL, uid, kt);
+			     NULL, CELL, uid, kt);
     if (ret == 0) return 0;
     ret = _kafs_try_get_cred(data, AUTH_SUPERUSER,
 			     cell, CELL, uid, kt);
@@ -482,7 +485,7 @@ _kafs_get_cred(struct kafs_data *data,
 				 cell, vl_realm, uid, kt);
 	if (ret)
 	    ret = _kafs_try_get_cred(data, AUTH_SUPERUSER,
-				     "", vl_realm, uid, kt);
+				     NULL, vl_realm, uid, kt);
 	free(vl_realm);
 	if (ret == 0) return 0;
     }
diff --git a/lib/kafs/kafs_locl.h b/lib/kafs/kafs_locl.h
index 4b236f9d2..ea670f313 100644
--- a/lib/kafs/kafs_locl.h
+++ b/lib/kafs/kafs_locl.h
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ struct kafs_data {
     afslog_uid_func_t afslog_uid;
     get_cred_func_t get_cred;
     get_realm_func_t get_realm;
+    const char *(*get_error)(struct kafs_data *, int);
+    void (*free_error)(struct kafs_data *, const char *);
     void *data;
 };