diff --git a/cmd/geth/consolecmd.go b/cmd/geth/consolecmd.go
index 2500a969cf5e..d20f1c7dd5fc 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/consolecmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/consolecmd.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func localConsole(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 
 	console, err := console.New(config)
 	if err != nil {
-		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the JavaScript console: %v", err)
+		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the local JavaScript console: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer console.Stop(false)
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func remoteConsole(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 
 	console, err := console.New(config)
 	if err != nil {
-		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the JavaScript console: %v", err)
+		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the remote JavaScript console: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer console.Stop(false)
 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func ephemeralConsole(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 
 	console, err := console.New(config)
 	if err != nil {
-		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the JavaScript console: %v", err)
+		utils.Fatalf("Failed to start the ephemeral JavaScript console: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer console.Stop(false)
 
diff --git a/console/console.go b/console/console.go
index b280d4e65d4c..0284bbd09026 100644
--- a/console/console.go
+++ b/console/console.go
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (c *Console) init(preload []string) error {
 	// Load the supported APIs into the JavaScript runtime environment
 	apis, err := c.client.SupportedModules()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("api modules: %v", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot create api client modules: %v", err)
 	}
 	flatten := "var eth = web3.eth; var personal = web3.personal; "
 	for api := range apis {
diff --git a/rpc/http.go b/rpc/http.go
index e8f51150f4a7..bb85de60a8a5 100644
--- a/rpc/http.go
+++ b/rpc/http.go
@@ -27,10 +27,12 @@ import (
 	"mime"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/rs/cors"
 )
 
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ func (hc *httpConn) Close() error {
 // using the provided HTTP Client.
 func DialHTTPWithClient(endpoint string, client *http.Client) (*Client, error) {
 	req, err := http.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, endpoint, nil)
+	log.Debug(fmt.Sprintf("connecting to HTTP endpoint %s", endpoint))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -96,6 +99,8 @@ func (c *Client) sendHTTP(ctx context.Context, op *requestOp, msg interface{}) e
 	defer respBody.Close()
 	var respmsg jsonrpcMessage
 	if err := json.NewDecoder(respBody).Decode(&respmsg); err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error creating HTTP connection to RPC socket. Did you set --rpcvhosts on the server? Actual error is \"%s\"", err)
+		debug.PrintStack()
 		return err
 	}
 	op.resp <- &respmsg