diff --git a/mysql-test/include/wait_for_slave_sql_to_stop.inc b/mysql-test/include/wait_for_slave_sql_to_stop.inc
index cb5c437a586..7b6eba6cb43 100644
--- a/mysql-test/include/wait_for_slave_sql_to_stop.inc
+++ b/mysql-test/include/wait_for_slave_sql_to_stop.inc
@@ -8,17 +8,34 @@
 #      2) loop through looking for
 #         sql threads to stop
 #      3) If loops too long die.
+#
+# INPUT:
+#    $timeout_counter    Number of 1/10 sec to wait
+#    $keep_connection    Do not do any "connect"
 ####################################################
 if (!$keep_connection)
 {
+  --echo [on slave]
   connection slave;
 }
 let $row_number= 1;
 let $run= 1;
-let $counter= 300;
+let $counter = $timeout_counter;
+if (!$counter)
+{
+  let $counter= 3000;
+}
 
 while ($run)
 {
+  if (!$keep_connection)
+  {
+    if (!$counter)
+    {
+      let $binlog_pos = query_get_value("SHOW SLAVE STATUS", Exec_Master_Log_Pos, 1);
+      let $binlog_file = query_get_value("SHOW SLAVE STATUS", Master_Log_File, 1);
+    }
+  }
   let $sql_result= query_get_value("SHOW SLAVE STATUS", Slave_SQL_Running, $row_number);
   if (`SELECT '$sql_result' = 'No'`){
     let $run= 0;
@@ -26,6 +43,21 @@ while ($run)
   sleep 0.1;
   if (!$counter){
     --echo "Failed while waiting for slave SQL thread to stop"
+    if (!$keep_connection)
+    {
+      --echo [on master]
+      connection master;
+      --echo **** Note that the binlog positions are not read atomically:  ****
+      --echo **** the replication might in reality have progressed further ****
+      eval SHOW BINLOG EVENTS IN '$binlog_file' FROM $binlog_pos LIMIT 5;
+      --echo [on slave]
+      connection slave;
+    }
+    --echo **** Note that the process list might have changed since the    ****
+    --echo **** failure was detected                                       **** 
+    SHOW PROCESSLIST;
+    --echo **** Note that the binlog positions are not read atomically, so ****
+    --echo **** there is a small risk that the binlog status is incorrect  ****
     query_vertical SHOW SLAVE STATUS;
     exit;
   }