diff --git a/src/System/Console/StructuredCLI.hs b/src/System/Console/StructuredCLI.hs
--- a/src/System/Console/StructuredCLI.hs
+++ b/src/System/Console/StructuredCLI.hs
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
                                      isCompleted,
                                      isIncomplete,
                                      isNoResult,
+                                     isFailed,
                                      labelParser,
                                      newLevel,
                                      noAction,
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@
 
 data CLIException = Exit
                   | InternalError String
-                  | SyntaxError String
+                  | SyntaxError String String
                   | UndecisiveInput String [String]
                   | HelpRequested [(String, String)]
                   | InvalidOperation String
@@ -306,6 +307,10 @@
 isNoResult NoResult = True
 isNoResult _        = False
 
+isFailed :: (Monad m) => SearchResult m -> Bool
+isFailed Failed{..} = True
+isFailed _          = False
+
 -- | the CommandsT "nest" operation. It adds a new deeper CLI level to the command on the left
 -- side with the commands on the right side, for example:
 -- @
@@ -489,8 +494,8 @@
                                     loop
 
 defExceptionHandler :: (MonadIO m) => CLIException -> m (Either CLIException ())
-defExceptionHandler (SyntaxError str) = do
-    fmap Right . liftIO . putStrLn $ "SyntaxError at or around " ++ str ++ "\n"
+defExceptionHandler (SyntaxError str msg) = do
+    fmap Right . liftIO . putStrLn $ "SyntaxError at or around " ++ str ++ ": " ++ msg ++ "\n"
 defExceptionHandler (HelpRequested hints) =
     fmap Right . liftIO $ do
       mapM_ display $ hints
@@ -568,7 +573,16 @@
           debugM $ "help requested: " ++ show hints
           throwError . HelpRequested $ hints
       else
-          throwError . SyntaxError $ input
+          case filter isFailed result of
+            Failed{..}:_ ->
+                throwError . SyntaxError input $ failedMsg
+            _ ->
+                case filter isIncomplete result of
+                  Incomplete{..}:_ ->
+                      throwError . SyntaxError input . snd . head $ incompleteHints
+                  _ ->
+                      throwError . SyntaxError input $ ""
+
     where checkForHelp ('?':_)       = True
           checkForHelp _             = False
           getHelp acc Failed{..}     = (getLabel failedNode, failedMsg):acc
diff --git a/structured-cli.cabal b/structured-cli.cabal
--- a/structured-cli.cabal
+++ b/structured-cli.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                structured-cli
-version:             2.2.0.0
+version:             2.2.1.0
 synopsis:            Application library for building interactive console CLIs
 description:         This module provides the tools to build a complete "structured" CLI application, similar to those found in systems like Cisco IOS or console configuration utilities etc. It aims to be easy for implementors to use.
 homepage:            https://gitlab.com/codemonkeylabs/structured-cli#readme
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 cabal-version:       >=1.10
 
 flag debug
-  description: Enable debug messages 
+  description: Enable debug messages
   default: False
 
 library