diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index 2ff3ee1e..201c76e8 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ void cmd_move_con_to_workspace_back_and_forth(I3_CMD) {
  */
 void cmd_move_con_to_workspace_name(I3_CMD, char *name) {
     if (strncasecmp(name, "__", strlen("__")) == 0) {
-        LOG("You cannot switch to the i3 internal workspaces.\n");
+        LOG("You cannot move containers to i3-internal workspaces (\"%s\").\n", name);
         ysuccess(false);
         return;
     }
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ void cmd_workspace_back_and_forth(I3_CMD) {
  */
 void cmd_workspace_name(I3_CMD, char *name) {
     if (strncasecmp(name, "__", strlen("__")) == 0) {
-        LOG("You cannot switch to the i3 internal workspaces.\n");
+        LOG("You cannot switch to the i3-internal workspaces (\"%s\").\n", name);
         ysuccess(false);
         return;
     }
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ void cmd_scratchpad_show(I3_CMD) {
  */
 void cmd_rename_workspace(I3_CMD, char *old_name, char *new_name) {
     if (strncasecmp(new_name, "__", strlen("__")) == 0) {
-        LOG("You cannot switch to the i3 internal workspaces.\n");
+        LOG("Cannot rename workspace to \"%s\": names starting with __ are i3-internal.", new_name);
         ysuccess(false);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/workspace.c b/src/workspace.c
index 5f8ec0bc..99c2166a 100644
--- a/src/workspace.c
+++ b/src/workspace.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ Con *create_workspace_on_output(Output *output, Con *content) {
         if (*target == '"')
             target++;
         if (strncasecmp(target, "__", strlen("__")) == 0) {
-            LOG("Cannot create workspace. '__' is a reserved prefix.\n");
+            LOG("Cannot create workspace \"%s\". Names starting with __ are i3-internal.\n", target);
             continue;
         }
         FREE(ws->name);