diff --git a/init/initramfs.c b/init/initramfs.c
index fca899622937..4749e1115eef 100644
--- a/init/initramfs.c
+++ b/init/initramfs.c
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ static long __init flush_buffer(void *bufv, unsigned long len)
 			len -= written;
 			state = Reset;
 		} else
-			error("junk in compressed archive");
+			error("junk within compressed archive");
 	}
 	return origLen;
 }
@@ -488,9 +488,9 @@ static char * __init unpack_to_rootfs(char *buf, unsigned long len)
 				message = msg_buf;
 			}
 		} else
-			error("junk in compressed archive");
+			error("invalid magic at start of compressed archive");
 		if (state != Reset)
-			error("junk in compressed archive");
+			error("junk at the end of compressed archive");
 		this_header = saved_offset + my_inptr;
 		buf += my_inptr;
 		len -= my_inptr;