diff --git a/cmd/revid-cli/main.go b/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
index 46f39905..cf2ee174 100644
--- a/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func run(cfg revid.Config) {
 
 	ns, err := netsender.New(log, nil, readPin, nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"could not initialise netsender client")
+		log.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"could not initialise netsender client: "+err.Error())
 	}
 
 	var vs int