diff --git a/poky/meta/classes/systemd.bbclass b/poky/meta/classes/systemd.bbclass
index 9ec465c..db5d109 100644
--- a/poky/meta/classes/systemd.bbclass
+++ b/poky/meta/classes/systemd.bbclass
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@
                 if path_found != '':
                     systemd_add_files_and_parse(pkg_systemd, path_found, service, keys)
                 else:
-                    bb.fatal("SYSTEMD_SERVICE_%s value %s does not exist" % (pkg_systemd, service))
+                    bb.fatal("Didn't find service unit '{0}', specified in SYSTEMD_SERVICE_{1}. {2}".format(
+                        service, pkg_systemd, "Also looked for service unit '{0}'.".format(base) if base is not None else ""))
 
     def systemd_create_presets(pkg, action):
         presetf = oe.path.join(d.getVar("PKGD"), d.getVar("systemd_unitdir"), "system-preset/98-%s.preset" % pkg)