diff --git a/diskimage_builder/element_dependencies.py b/diskimage_builder/element_dependencies.py
index b840c558..93ba504d 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/element_dependencies.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/element_dependencies.py
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ def expand_dependencies(user_elements, elements_dir=None):
     final_elements = set(user_elements)
     check_queue = collections.deque(user_elements)
     provided = set()
+    provided_by = collections.defaultdict(list)
 
     while check_queue:
         # bug #1303911 - run through the provided elements first to avoid
@@ -98,10 +99,15 @@ def expand_dependencies(user_elements, elements_dir=None):
         element = check_queue.popleft()
         if element in provided:
             continue
-        deps = dependencies(element, elements_dir)
-        provided.update(provides(element, elements_dir))
-        check_queue.extend(deps - (final_elements | provided))
-        final_elements.update(deps)
+        element_deps = dependencies(element, elements_dir)
+        element_provides = provides(element, elements_dir)
+        # save which elements provide another element for potential
+        # error message
+        for provide in element_provides:
+            provided_by[provide].append(element)
+        provided.update(element_provides)
+        check_queue.extend(element_deps - (final_elements | provided))
+        final_elements.update(element_deps)
 
     if "operating-system" not in provided:
         logger.error(
@@ -110,9 +116,11 @@ def expand_dependencies(user_elements, elements_dir=None):
 
     conflicts = set(user_elements) & provided
     if conflicts:
-        logger.error("Following elements were explicitly required "
-                     "but are provided by other included elements: %s" %
-                     ", ".join(conflicts))
+        logger.error(
+            "The following elements are already provided by another element")
+        for element in conflicts:
+            logger.error("%s : already provided by %s" %
+                         (element, provided_by[element]))
         sys.exit(-1)
     return final_elements - provided
 
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/tests/test_elementdeps.py b/diskimage_builder/tests/test_elementdeps.py
index f6039f84..c2f20bcd 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/tests/test_elementdeps.py
+++ b/diskimage_builder/tests/test_elementdeps.py
@@ -141,7 +141,9 @@ class TestElementDeps(testtools.TestCase):
                           element_dependencies.expand_dependencies,
                           ['circular1', 'operating-system'],
                           elements_dir=self.element_dir)
-        self.assertIn("provided by other included elements: operating-system",
+        # ensure we get the error message about what's providing the
+        # conflicting package
+        self.assertIn("operating-system : already provided by ['circular1']",
                       self.log_fixture.output)