diff --git a/usr.sbin/pkg/pkg.c b/usr.sbin/pkg/pkg.c
index 1b1a01cf60e..8f26c611e01 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pkg/pkg.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pkg/pkg.c
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ extract_pkg_static(int fd, char *p, int sz)
 	if (r == ARCHIVE_OK)
 		ret = 0;
 	else
-		warnx("fail to extract pkg-static");
+		warnx("failed to extract pkg-static: %s",
+		    archive_error_string(a));
 
 cleanup:
 	archive_read_free(a);