diff --git a/src/server/qgsserver.cpp b/src/server/qgsserver.cpp
index 96c50d414e4..6f36675fe44 100644
--- a/src/server/qgsserver.cpp
+++ b/src/server/qgsserver.cpp
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ QPair<QByteArray, QByteArray> QgsServer::handleRequest( const QString& queryStri
                                );
       if ( !p )
       {
-        theRequestHandler->setServiceException( QgsMapServiceException( "Project file error", "Error reading the project file" ) );
+        theRequestHandler->setServiceException( QgsMapServiceException( "Project file error", QString( "Error reading the project file: %1" ).arg( configFilePath ) ) );
       }
       else
       {
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ QPair<QByteArray, QByteArray> QgsServer::handleRequest( const QString& queryStri
                                );
       if ( !p )
       {
-        theRequestHandler->setServiceException( QgsMapServiceException( "Project file error", "Error reading the project file" ) );
+        theRequestHandler->setServiceException( QgsMapServiceException( "Project file error", QString( "Error reading the project file: %1" ).arg( configFilePath ) ) );
       }
       else
       {