diff --git a/lib/hostares.c b/lib/hostares.c
index 35640d5b77fff7346c7d1fe9bf95ee6655adc53b..02212a2c36e09d90e678bbdd82c3cb36eb9c21ab 100644
--- a/lib/hostares.c
+++ b/lib/hostares.c
@@ -151,8 +151,11 @@ CURLcode Curl_is_resolved(struct connectdata *conn,
 
   if(conn->async.done) {
     /* we're done, kill the ares handle */
-    if(!conn->async.dns)
+    if(!conn->async.dns) {
+      failf(data, "Could not resolve host: %s (%s)", conn->name,
+            ares_strerror(conn->async.status));
       return CURLE_COULDNT_RESOLVE_HOST;
+    }
     *dns = conn->async.dns;
   }