diff --git a/swift/common/constraints.py b/swift/common/constraints.py
index 880a9dfb32..f1d300a032 100644
--- a/swift/common/constraints.py
+++ b/swift/common/constraints.py
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ def check_metadata(req, target_type):
     meta_size = 0
     for key, value in req.headers.iteritems():
         if isinstance(value, basestring) and len(value) > MAX_HEADER_SIZE:
-            return HTTPBadRequest('Header Line Too Long')
+            return HTTPBadRequest(body='Header value too long: %s' %
+                                  key[:MAX_META_NAME_LENGTH],
+                                  request=req, content_type='text/plain')
         if not key.lower().startswith(prefix):
             continue
         key = key[len(prefix):]
@@ -91,11 +93,12 @@ def check_metadata(req, target_type):
         meta_size += len(key) + len(value)
         if len(key) > MAX_META_NAME_LENGTH:
             return HTTPBadRequest(
-                body='Metadata name too long; max %d' % MAX_META_NAME_LENGTH,
+                body='Metadata name too long: %s%s' % (prefix, key),
                 request=req, content_type='text/plain')
         elif len(value) > MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH:
             return HTTPBadRequest(
-                body='Metadata value too long; max %d' % MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH,
+                body='Metadata value longer than %d: %s%s' % (
+                    MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH, prefix, key),
                 request=req, content_type='text/plain')
         elif meta_count > MAX_META_COUNT:
             return HTTPBadRequest(
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py b/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
index ff86277009..52a6a20e2d 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_constraints.py
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ from swift.common import constraints
 
 class TestConstraints(unittest.TestCase):
 
+    def assertIn(self, member, container, msg=None):
+        """Copied from 2.7"""
+        if member not in container:
+            standardMsg = '%s not found in %s' % (safe_repr(member),
+                                                  safe_repr(container))
+            self.fail(self._formatMessage(msg, standardMsg))
+
     def test_check_metadata_empty(self):
         headers = {}
         self.assertEquals(constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/',
@@ -50,6 +57,9 @@ class TestConstraints(unittest.TestCase):
         headers = {'X-Object-Meta-%s' % name: 'v'}
         self.assertEquals(constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/',
             headers=headers), 'object').status_int, HTTP_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertIn(('X-Object-Meta-%s' % name).lower(),
+            constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/', headers=headers),
+                                                     'object').body.lower())
 
     def test_check_metadata_value_length(self):
         value = 'a' * constraints.MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH
@@ -60,6 +70,12 @@ class TestConstraints(unittest.TestCase):
         headers = {'X-Object-Meta-Name': value}
         self.assertEquals(constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/',
             headers=headers), 'object').status_int, HTTP_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertIn('x-object-meta-name',
+            constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/', headers=headers),
+                                                     'object').body.lower())
+        self.assertIn(str(constraints.MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH),
+            constraints.check_metadata(Request.blank('/', headers=headers),
+                                                     'object').body)
 
     def test_check_metadata_count(self):
         headers = {}
@@ -210,6 +226,8 @@ class TestConstraints(unittest.TestCase):
                      'ab' * constraints.MAX_HEADER_SIZE})
         self.assertEquals(constraints.check_metadata(req, 'object').status_int,
                           HTTP_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertIn('x-object-meta-hello', constraints.check_metadata(req,
+                      'object').body.lower())
 
     def test_validate_constraints(self):
         c = constraints