diff --git a/met/src/basic/vx_util/data_line.cc b/met/src/basic/vx_util/data_line.cc
index ab16353db1..1853449b65 100644
--- a/met/src/basic/vx_util/data_line.cc
+++ b/met/src/basic/vx_util/data_line.cc
@@ -253,7 +253,11 @@ const char * DataLine::get_item(int k) const
 
 if ( (k < 0) || (k >= N_items) )  {
 
-   mlog << Error << "\nDataLine::get_item(int) -> range check error\n\n";
+   ConcatString filename = (get_file() ? get_file()->filename() : "");
+
+   mlog << Error << "\nDataLine::get_item(int) -> "
+        << "range check error while reading item number " << k+1
+        << " from file \"" << filename << "\"\n\n";
 
    exit ( 1 );
 
@@ -640,7 +644,8 @@ LineDataFile::LineDataFile(const LineDataFile &)
 
 {
 
-mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::LineDataFile(const LineDataFile &) -> should never be called!\n\n";
+mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::LineDataFile(const LineDataFile &) -> "
+     << "should never be called!\n\n";
 
 exit ( 1 );
 
@@ -654,7 +659,8 @@ LineDataFile & LineDataFile::operator=(const LineDataFile &)
 
 {
 
-mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::operator=(const LineDataFile &) -> should never be called!\n\n";
+mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::operator=(const LineDataFile &) -> "
+     << "should never be called!\n\n";
 
 exit ( 1 );
 
@@ -698,7 +704,8 @@ in = new ifstream;
 
 if ( !in )  {
 
-   mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::open(const char *) -> can't allocate input stream\n\n";
+   mlog << Error << "\nLineDataFile::open(const char *) -> "
+        << "can't allocate input stream\n\n";
 
    exit ( 1 );