diff --git a/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc b/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
index c7b073c713..cbc7b82796 100644
--- a/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
+++ b/c++/src/TypeImpl.cc
@@ -660,7 +660,8 @@ namespace orc {
       std::pair<std::string, size_t> nameRes = parseName(input, pos, end);
       pos = nameRes.second;
       if (input[pos] != ':') {
-        throw std::logic_error("Invalid struct type. No field name set.");
+        throw std::logic_error("Invalid struct type. Field name can not contain '" +
+                               std::string(1, input[pos]) + "'.");
       }
       std::pair<std::unique_ptr<Type>, size_t> typeRes = TypeImpl::parseType(input, ++pos, end);
       result->addStructField(nameRes.first, std::move(typeRes.first));
diff --git a/c++/test/TestType.cc b/c++/test/TestType.cc
index c9ac2f2850..cec0d8d2c4 100644
--- a/c++/test/TestType.cc
+++ b/c++/test/TestType.cc
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace orc {
     expectLogicErrorDuringParse("int<>", "Invalid < after int type.");
     expectLogicErrorDuringParse("array(int)", "Missing < after array.");
     expectLogicErrorDuringParse("struct<struct<bigint>>",
-                                "Invalid struct type. No field name set.");
+                                "Invalid struct type. Field name can not contain '<'.");
     expectLogicErrorDuringParse("struct<a:bigint;b:string>", "Missing comma after field.");
   }