diff --git a/qa/bin/functional b/qa/bin/functional
index 764618586..d3a1b1f22 100755
--- a/qa/bin/functional
+++ b/qa/bin/functional
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ class EncodingTests(Tests):
                 if self._check in self.stderr:
                     return True
 
-            return self.failed()
+            return self.failed('completed successfully')
 
     API = re.compile(r'^\s*run\s+(.*)\s*?;\s*?$')
 
@@ -498,10 +498,10 @@ class DecodingTests(Tests):
 
         def success(self):
             self.collect()
-            if not self.stdout:
-                return self.failed()
             if self.stderr:
-                return self.failed()
+                return self.failed('stderr is \n' + self.stderr)
+            if not self.stdout:
+                return self.failed('no stdout received')
             try:
                 decoded = json.loads(self.stdout)
                 self._cleanup(decoded)
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ class ParsingTests(Tests):
         def success(self):
             self.collect()
             if self.code != 0:
-                return self.failed()
+                return self.failed('return code is not zero')
 
             return self.code == 0