diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
index e9fb2cc08dc..472df3a1fbf 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
@@ -931,8 +931,8 @@ BaseBackup(void)
 	res = PQgetResult(conn);
 	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
 	{
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not get WAL end position from server\n"),
-				progname);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not get WAL end position from server: %s"),
+				progname, PQerrorMessage(conn));
 		disconnect_and_exit(1);
 	}
 	if (PQntuples(res) != 1)