diff --git a/base/loading.jl b/base/loading.jl
index c45d3e2d1a3d6..b49bc1e3194b0 100644
--- a/base/loading.jl
+++ b/base/loading.jl
@@ -1692,7 +1692,7 @@ end
 # we throw PrecompilableError when a module doesn't want to be precompiled
 struct PrecompilableError <: Exception end
 function show(io::IO, ex::PrecompilableError)
-    print(io, "Declaring __precompile__(false) is not allowed in files that are being precompiled.")
+    print(io, "Error when precompiling module, potentially caused by a __precompile__(false) declaration in the module.")
 end
 precompilableerror(ex::PrecompilableError) = true
 precompilableerror(ex::WrappedException) = precompilableerror(ex.error)