diff --git a/dsh/install.sh b/dsh/install.sh
index 050157e..2e7b7a2 100755
--- a/dsh/install.sh
+++ b/dsh/install.sh
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ explicit_source_name() {
 }
 
 report_invalid_explicit_source() {
-  echo "FAIL: explicit superpowers source $(explicit_source_name) has no using-superpowers/SKILL.md (expected <dir>/skills/... or <dir>/...)" >&2
+  echo "FAIL: explicit superpowers source is invalid: $(explicit_source_name) has no using-superpowers/SKILL.md (expected <dir>/skills/... or <dir>/...)" >&2
 }
 
 check() {
diff --git a/dsh/tests/install.test.mjs b/dsh/tests/install.test.mjs
index ea06e5b..5922c75 100644
--- a/dsh/tests/install.test.mjs
+++ b/dsh/tests/install.test.mjs
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ test('an invalid explicit source fails without touching the legacy cache', () =>
     const run = runInstaller(home, ['--skills', '--superpowers-from', empty])
     const out = run.stdout + run.stderr
     assert.equal(run.status, 1, out)
-    assert.match(out, /FAIL: explicit superpowers source .* has no using-superpowers\/SKILL\.md/)
+    assert.match(out, /FAIL: explicit superpowers source is invalid: .* has no using-superpowers\/SKILL\.md/)
     assert.equal(existsSync(join(home, '.dsh', 'skills', 'brainstorming')), false)
   } finally {
     cleanup(home)