diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipping/ReadClipper.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipping/ReadClipper.java
index 45dd55af7..eaefa3aba 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipping/ReadClipper.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipping/ReadClipper.java
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ package org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.clipping;
 import com.google.java.contract.Requires;
 import net.sf.samtools.CigarElement;
 import net.sf.samtools.CigarOperator;
-import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.recalibration.EventType;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.ReviewedStingException;
+import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.recalibration.EventType;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.sam.GATKSAMRecord;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.sam.ReadUtils;
 
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ public class ReadClipper {
             throw new ReviewedStingException("Trying to clip before the start or after the end of a read");
 
         if ( start > stop )
-            throw new ReviewedStingException(String.format("START (%d) > (%d) STOP -- this should never happen -- call Mauricio!", start, stop));
+            throw new ReviewedStingException(String.format("START (%d) > (%d) STOP -- this should never happen, please check read: %s (CIGAR: %s)", start, stop, read, read.getCigarString()));
 
         if ( start > 0 && stop < read.getReadLength() - 1)
             throw new ReviewedStingException(String.format("Trying to clip the middle of the read: start %d, stop %d, cigar: %s", start, stop, read.getCigarString()));
diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
index 709afeef5..95e0d55f3 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ import com.google.java.contract.Ensures;
 import com.google.java.contract.Requires;
 import net.sf.samtools.*;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.GenomeAnalysisEngine;
+import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.BaseUtils;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.GenomeLoc;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.MathUtils;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.NGSPlatform;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.collections.Pair;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.ReviewedStingException;
-import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.BaseUtils;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ public class ReadUtils {
                     if (allowGoalNotReached) {
                         return new Pair<Integer, Boolean>(CLIPPING_GOAL_NOT_REACHED, false);
                     } else {
-                        throw new ReviewedStingException("Reference coordinate corresponds to a non-existent base in the read. This should never happen -- call Mauricio");
+                        throw new ReviewedStingException(String.format("Reference coordinate corresponds to a non-existent base in the read. This should never happen -- check read with alignment start: %s  and cigar: %s", alignmentStart, cigar));
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ public class ReadUtils {
                             if (allowGoalNotReached) {
                                 return new Pair<Integer, Boolean>(CLIPPING_GOAL_NOT_REACHED, false);
                             } else {
-                                throw new ReviewedStingException("Reference coordinate corresponds to a non-existent base in the read. This should never happen -- call Mauricio");
+                                throw new ReviewedStingException(String.format("Reference coordinate corresponds to a non-existent base in the read. This should never happen -- check read with alignment start: %s  and cigar: %s", alignmentStart, cigar));
                             }
                         }