diff --git a/sys/alpha/conf/gethints.pl b/sys/alpha/conf/gethints.pl
index 74963990b87..9eeb1932ddb 100644
--- a/sys/alpha/conf/gethints.pl
+++ b/sys/alpha/conf/gethints.pl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
 while (<>) {
+	$line++;
 	chop;
 	s/#.*//;
 	next unless /^device/;
@@ -94,6 +95,6 @@ while (<>) {
 			}
 			next;
 		}
-		print STDERR "unrecognized config token $key\n";
+		print STDERR "unrecognized config token '$key' on line $line\n";
 	}
 }
diff --git a/sys/i386/conf/gethints.pl b/sys/i386/conf/gethints.pl
index 74963990b87..9eeb1932ddb 100644
--- a/sys/i386/conf/gethints.pl
+++ b/sys/i386/conf/gethints.pl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
 while (<>) {
+	$line++;
 	chop;
 	s/#.*//;
 	next unless /^device/;
@@ -94,6 +95,6 @@ while (<>) {
 			}
 			next;
 		}
-		print STDERR "unrecognized config token $key\n";
+		print STDERR "unrecognized config token '$key' on line $line\n";
 	}
 }
diff --git a/sys/pc98/conf/gethints.pl b/sys/pc98/conf/gethints.pl
index b385ed03e0e..684d5b2d8cc 100644
--- a/sys/pc98/conf/gethints.pl
+++ b/sys/pc98/conf/gethints.pl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
 while (<>) {
+	$line++;
 	chop;
 	s/#.*//;
 	next unless /^device/;
@@ -87,6 +88,6 @@ while (<>) {
 			}
 			next;
 		}
-		print STDERR "unrecognized config token $key\n";
+		print STDERR "unrecognized config token '$key' on line $line\n";
 	}
 }