diff --git a/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp b/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
index 5371e558559..b286ab331cf 100644
--- a/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
+++ b/src/Perl6/Actions.nqp
@@ -5160,7 +5160,7 @@ Compilation unit '$file' contained the following violations:
                     $target := $target[0];
                 }
                 unless nqp::istype($target, QAST::Op) && ($target.op eq 'call' || $target.op eq 'callmethod') {
-                    $/.CURSOR.typed_panic('X::Syntax::Adverb');
+                    $/.CURSOR.typed_panic('X::Syntax::Adverb', what => $target.name);
                 }
                 my $cpast := $<colonpair>.ast;
                 $cpast[2].named(compile_time_value_str($cpast[1], 'LHS of pair', $/));
diff --git a/src/core/Exception.pm b/src/core/Exception.pm
index 0bd2392e699..9bb40f4f041 100644
--- a/src/core/Exception.pm
+++ b/src/core/Exception.pm
@@ -1143,7 +1143,9 @@ my class X::Syntax::CannotMeta does X::Syntax {
 }
 
 my class X::Syntax::Adverb does X::Syntax {
-    method message() { "You can't adverb that" }
+    has $.what;
+
+    method message() { "You can't adverb " ~ ($.what // "that")  }
 }
 
 my class X::Syntax::Regex::Adverb does X::Syntax {