diff --git a/gcloud/connection.py b/gcloud/connection.py
index 392ed9347252..1cbb8d01e3d7 100644
--- a/gcloud/connection.py
+++ b/gcloud/connection.py
@@ -391,7 +391,8 @@ def api_request(self, method, path, query_params=None,
             target_object=_target_object)
 
         if not 200 <= response.status < 300:
-            raise make_exception(response, content)
+            raise make_exception(response, content,
+                                 request_string=method+' '+url)
 
         string_or_bytes = (six.binary_type, six.text_type)
         if content and expect_json and isinstance(content, string_or_bytes):
diff --git a/gcloud/exceptions.py b/gcloud/exceptions.py
index 0c04f80a12a0..18d1047bab72 100644
--- a/gcloud/exceptions.py
+++ b/gcloud/exceptions.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class ServiceUnavailable(ServerError):
     code = 503
 
 
-def make_exception(response, content, use_json=True):
+def make_exception(response, content, request_string=None, use_json=True):
     """Factory:  create exception based on HTTP response code.
 
     :type response: :class:`httplib2.Response` or other HTTP response object
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ def make_exception(response, content, use_json=True):
     message = payload.get('error', {}).get('message', '')
     errors = payload.get('error', {}).get('errors', ())
 
+    if request_string:
+        message += ' (%s)' % request_string
+
     try:
         klass = _HTTP_CODE_TO_EXCEPTION[response.status]
     except KeyError: