diff --git a/lib/core/package.js b/lib/core/package.js
index b6d501598..b1b6efbe8 100644
--- a/lib/core/package.js
+++ b/lib/core/package.js
@@ -277,7 +277,10 @@ Package.prototype.loadJSON = function () {
     }
 
     readJSON(jsonFile, function (err, json) {
-      if (err) return this.emit('error', err);
+      if (err) {
+        err.details = 'There was an error while reading the ' + config.json;
+        return this.emit('error', err);
+      }
 
       this.json    = json;
       this.version = this.commit || json.commit || json.version;