diff --git a/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py b/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
index 51fd170f3..136a42eb7 100644
--- a/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
+++ b/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, version=None, url=None):
                 try:
                     version = str(SpecifierSet(version))
                 except InvalidSpecifier:
-                    raise ValueError("'%s' must be either PEP 0440 version or a version specifier set")
+                    raise ValueError("'%s' must be either PEP 0440 version or a version specifier set" % version)
 
         self.version = version
         self.url = url
diff --git a/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/install_dependencies_plugin_tests.py b/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/install_dependencies_plugin_tests.py
index a00e12353..7f6b084d8 100644
--- a/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/install_dependencies_plugin_tests.py
+++ b/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/install_dependencies_plugin_tests.py
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@ def test_should_install_dependency_with_version_and_operator(self, exec_command,
         exec_command(
             PIP_EXEC_STANZA + ["install", 'spam==0.1.2'], ANY, env=ANY, shell=False)
 
+    def test_should_install_dependency_with_wrong_version_and_operator(self):
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, Dependency, "spam", "~=1")
+
     @patch("pybuilder.plugins.python.install_dependencies_plugin.create_constraint_file")
     @patch("pybuilder.plugins.python.install_dependencies_plugin.get_package_version", return_value={})
     @patch("pybuilder.plugins.python.install_dependencies_plugin.execute_command", return_value=0)