diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/lex.zconf.c_shipped b/scripts/kconfig/lex.zconf.c_shipped
index 7342ce0a778..dc3e81807d1 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/lex.zconf.c_shipped
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/lex.zconf.c_shipped
@@ -2370,11 +2370,14 @@ void zconf_nextfile(const char *name)
 	current_buf = buf;
 
 	if (file->flags & FILE_BUSY) {
-		printf("recursive scan (%s)?\n", name);
+		printf("%s:%d: do not source '%s' from itself\n",
+		       zconf_curname(), zconf_lineno(), name);
 		exit(1);
 	}
 	if (file->flags & FILE_SCANNED) {
-		printf("file %s already scanned?\n", name);
+		printf("%s:%d: file '%s' is already sourced from '%s'\n",
+		       zconf_curname(), zconf_lineno(), name,
+		       file->parent->name);
 		exit(1);
 	}
 	file->flags |= FILE_BUSY;
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/zconf.l b/scripts/kconfig/zconf.l
index 5164ef7ce49..21ff69c9ad4 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/zconf.l
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/zconf.l
@@ -314,11 +314,14 @@ void zconf_nextfile(const char *name)
 	current_buf = buf;
 
 	if (file->flags & FILE_BUSY) {
-		printf("recursive scan (%s)?\n", name);
+		printf("%s:%d: do not source '%s' from itself\n",
+		       zconf_curname(), zconf_lineno(), name);
 		exit(1);
 	}
 	if (file->flags & FILE_SCANNED) {
-		printf("file %s already scanned?\n", name);
+		printf("%s:%d: file '%s' is already sourced from '%s'\n",
+		       zconf_curname(), zconf_lineno(), name,
+		       file->parent->name);
 		exit(1);
 	}
 	file->flags |= FILE_BUSY;