diff --git a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
index cda5e530949b01dd6f9e8b07217f12ac35161d8e..8805a46b05853af195b56e914c3b6eb202e6ef9f 100644
--- a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
+++ b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
@@ -2140,7 +2140,7 @@ static void _rpc_prolog(slurm_msg_t *msg)
 	 * just wait.
 	 */
 	if (slurm_send_rc_msg(msg, rc) < 0) {
-		error("Error starting prolog: %m");
+		error("%s: Error talking to slurmctld: %m", __func__);
 	}
 
 	slurm_mutex_lock(&prolog_mutex);