diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
index 6a0c4b507..891584c47 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
@@ -252,7 +252,8 @@ featureset_ptr shape_datasource::features(const query& q) const
             (new shape_index_featureset<filter_in_box>(filter,
                                                        *shape_,
                                                        q.property_names(),
-                                                       desc_.get_encoding()));
+                                                       desc_.get_encoding(),
+                                                       shape_name_));
     }
     else
     {
@@ -289,7 +290,8 @@ featureset_ptr shape_datasource::features_at_point(coord2d const& pt) const
             (new shape_index_featureset<filter_at_point>(filter,
                                                          *shape_,
                                                          names,
-                                                         desc_.get_encoding()));
+                                                         desc_.get_encoding(),
+                                                         shape_name_));
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_featureset.cpp
index ebe3c5c58..563ee3a4e 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_featureset.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 // mapnik
 #include <mapnik/feature_factory.hpp>
 
+// boost
+#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
+
 // stl
 #include <iostream>
 
@@ -34,13 +37,13 @@ using mapnik::feature_factory;
 
 template <typename filterT>
 shape_featureset<filterT>::shape_featureset(const filterT& filter, 
-                                            const std::string& shape_file,
+                                            const std::string& shape_name,
                                             const std::set<std::string>& attribute_names,
                                             std::string const& encoding,
                                             long file_length )
     : filter_(filter),
       //shape_type_(shape_io::shape_null),
-      shape_(shape_file, false),
+      shape_(shape_name, false),
       query_ext_(),
       tr_(new transcoder(encoding)),
       file_length_(file_length),
@@ -65,12 +68,14 @@ shape_featureset<filterT>::shape_featureset(const filterT& filter,
         {
             std::ostringstream s;
 
-            s << "error no attribute by the name of '" << *pos << "'"
-                << ", available attributes are:";
+            s << "no attribute '" << *pos << "' in '"
+              << shape_name << "'. Valid attributes are: ";
+            std::vector<std::string> list;
             for (int i=0;i<shape_.dbf().num_fields();++i)
             {
-                s << " '" << shape_.dbf().descriptor(i).name_ << "'";
+                list.push_back(shape_.dbf().descriptor(i).name_);
             }
+            s << boost::algorithm::join(list, ",") << ".";
             
             throw mapnik::datasource_exception( "Shape Plugin: " + s.str() );
         }
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.cpp
index f64540685..d42e3e709 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <mapnik/feature_factory.hpp>
 
 // boost
+#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
 #include <boost/interprocess/streams/bufferstream.hpp>
 
 // stl
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@ template <typename filterT>
 shape_index_featureset<filterT>::shape_index_featureset(const filterT& filter,
                                                         shape_io& shape,
                                                         const std::set<std::string>& attribute_names,
-                                                        std::string const& encoding)
+                                                        std::string const& encoding,
+                                                        std::string const& shape_name)
     : filter_(filter),
       //shape_type_(0),
       shape_(shape),
@@ -86,12 +88,14 @@ shape_index_featureset<filterT>::shape_index_featureset(const filterT& filter,
         {
             std::ostringstream s;
 
-            s << "error no attribute by the name of '" << *pos << "'"
-                << ", available attributes are:";
+            s << "no attribute '" << *pos << "' in '"
+              << shape_name << "'. Valid attributes are: ";
+            std::vector<std::string> list;
             for (int i=0;i<shape_.dbf().num_fields();++i)
             {
-                s << " '" << shape_.dbf().descriptor(i).name_ << "'";
+                list.push_back(shape_.dbf().descriptor(i).name_);
             }
+            s << boost::algorithm::join(list, ",") << ".";
             
             throw mapnik::datasource_exception( "Shape Plugin: " + s.str() );
         }
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.hpp
index efaae02c9..5a7d9b27c 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_index_featureset.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ class shape_index_featureset : public Featureset
       shape_index_featureset(const filterT& filter,
                              shape_io& shape,
                              const std::set<std::string>& attribute_names,
-                             std::string const& encoding);
+                             std::string const& encoding,
+                             std::string const& shape_name);
       virtual ~shape_index_featureset();
       feature_ptr next();
    private:
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
index 50b64a675..378b21d97 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public:
     {
         return (index_ && index_->is_open());
     }
+    
     void move_to(int id);
     int type() const;
     const box2d<double>& current_extent() const;