diff --git a/qmp.c b/qmp.c
index b722dbec9a..c3c0229cdf 100644
--- a/qmp.c
+++ b/qmp.c
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ void object_add(const char *type, const char *id, const QDict *qdict,
 
     klass = object_class_by_name(type);
     if (!klass) {
-        error_setg(errp, "invalid class name");
+        error_setg(errp, "invalid object type: %s", type);
         return;
     }