diff --git a/tests/run_tests.py b/tests/run_tests.py
index 128ded2fa..5d89dd9f3 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tests/run_tests.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import sys
 
 try:
     import nose
-except ImportError:
-    sys.stderr.write("Unable to run python tests: the third party 'nose' module is required\nTo install 'nose' do:\n\tsudo pip install nose (or on debian systems: apt-get install python-nose\n")
+except ImportError, e:
+    sys.stderr.write("Unable to run python tests: the third party 'nose' module is required\nTo install 'nose' do:\n\tsudo pip install nose (or on debian systems: apt-get install python-nose): %s\n" % e)
     sys.exit(1)
     
 from python_tests.utilities import TodoPlugin