diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
index b821b98e6..79362ff2f 100755
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
@@ -256,7 +256,8 @@ public class HierarchicalMicroScheduler extends MicroScheduler implements Hierar
                     // Specifically catch Tribble I/O exceptions and rethrow them as Reviewed.  We don't expect
                     // any issues here because we created the Tribble output file mere moments ago and expect it to
                     // be completely valid.
-                    throw new ReviewedStingException("Unable to merge temporary Tribble output file.",ex);
+                    final String reason = ex.getMessage();
+                    throw new ReviewedStingException("Unable to merge temporary Tribble output file" + (reason == null ? "." : (" (" + reason + ").")), ex);
                 }
             }
         }