diff --git a/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp b/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
index b03b8732b..80f0112d1 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/feature_style_processor_impl.hpp
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ void feature_style_processor<Processor>::apply_to_layer(layer const& lay, Proces
                                                         int buffer_size,
                                                         std::set<std::string>& names)
 {
+try {
     std::vector<std::string> const& style_names = lay.styles();
 
     unsigned int num_styles = style_names.size();
@@ -548,6 +549,13 @@ void feature_style_processor<Processor>::apply_to_layer(layer const& lay, Proces
 #endif
 
     p.end_layer_processing(lay);
+
+} catch (const std::exception& e) {
+    std::ostringstream m;
+    m << lay.name() << ": " << e.what();
+    throw std::runtime_error(m.str().c_str());
+}
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/input/postgis/connection.hpp b/plugins/input/postgis/connection.hpp
index d8726aef0..c725ab91a 100644
--- a/plugins/input/postgis/connection.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/postgis/connection.hpp
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ public:
 
         if (! result || (PQresultStatus(result) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK))
         {
-            std::string err_msg = status();
+            std::string err_msg = "Postgis Plugin: ";
+            err_msg += status();
             err_msg += "\nFull sql was: '";
             err_msg += sql;
             err_msg += "'\n";