diff --git a/src/lib/common/xundump.c b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
index f748609f..8d9b32bb 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/xundump.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
@@ -221,8 +221,12 @@ xufld(FILE *fp, int i)
     case EOF:
 	return gripe("Unexpected EOF");
     case '\n':
-	if (i != nflds)
+	if (i != nflds) {
+	    if (fldca[i]->ca_type != NSC_STRINGY && fldca[i]->ca_len)
+		return gripe("Field %s(%d) missing",
+			     fldca[i]->ca_name, fldidx[i]);
 	    return gripe("Field %s missing", fldca[i]->ca_name);
+	}
 	lineno++;
 	return 0;
     case '+': case '-': case '.':
@@ -532,7 +536,7 @@ setstr(int fldno, char *str)
 	if (CANT_HAPPEN(idx))
 	    return -1;
 	if (!str)
-	    return gripe("Field doesn't take nil");
+	    return gripe("Field %d doesn't take nil", fldno + 1);
 	len = ca->ca_len;
 	if (strlen(str) > len)
 	    return gripe("Field %d takes at most %d characters",