diff --git a/src/fsh.nim b/src/fsh.nim
index 9b90010..959e0a2 100644
--- a/src/fsh.nim
+++ b/src/fsh.nim
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ proc newShellException(msg: string, line=0, col=0, whileExec=""): ref ShellError
   return e
 
 proc newShellVariableException(msg: string, vari: string, line=0, col=0, whileExec=""): ref ShellVariableError =
-  var e= newException(ShellVariableError, msg)
+  var e= newException(ShellVariableError, vari & ": " & msg)
   e.variable =vari
   e.line=line
   e.col=col
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ proc newShellVariableException(msg: string, vari: string, line=0, col=0, whileEx
   return e
 
 proc newShellCommandException(msg: string, command: string, line=0, col=0, whileExec=""): ref ShellCommandError =
-  var e=newException(ShellCommandError, msg)
+  var e=newException(ShellCommandError, command & ": " & msg)
   e.command=command
   e.line=line
   e.col=col
@@ -186,9 +186,7 @@ proc evalVariable(vari: string): string =
   elif envVariables.hasKey(vari):
     result = envVariables[vari]
   else:
-    var e = newException(ShellVariableError, "No such variable: " & vari)
-    e.variable = vari
-    raise e
+    raise newShellVariableException("No such variable", vari)
 
 # substitute does a substitution on the stream passed in
 proc substitute(strm: Stream, delim=";\p"): string =
@@ -243,21 +241,17 @@ proc runBuiltin(builtin: string, args: openArray[string]): string =
   case builtin:
     of "set":
       if args.len < 2:
-        var e = newException(ShellCommandError, "Set: not enough arguments provided")
-        e.command="set"
-        raise e
+        raise newShellCommandException("Not enough arguments provided", "set")
       shellVariables[args[0]] = args[1..^1].join(" ")
       return ""
     of "setenv":
       if args.len < 2:
-         var e = newException(ShellCommandError, "Setenv: not enough arguments provided")
-         e.command="setenv"
-         raise e
+        raise newShellCommandException("Not enough arguments provided", "setenv")
       try:
         envVariables[args[0]] = args[1..^1].join(":")
         putEnv(args[0], args[1..^1].join(":"))
       except OSError as e:
-        raise newException(Exception, "setenv: " & e.msg)
+        raise newShellCommandException(e.msg, "setenv")
       return ""
     of "echo":
       if args[0] == "-n":
@@ -283,7 +277,7 @@ proc runBuiltin(builtin: string, args: openArray[string]): string =
           stdout.write(args.join(" "), "\p")
           quit(0)
     else:
-      raise newException(Exception, "Fsh: No such builtin implemented")
+      raise newShellCommandException("No such builtin implemented", builtin)
 
 # executes executes the command. For now it involves catting the command and printing it
 proc execute(cmd: string): int =
@@ -303,9 +297,7 @@ proc execute(cmd: string): int =
       result =  ps.waitForExit
       ps.close
     except OSError as e:
-      var e = newException(ShellCommandError, progname & ": command not found")
-      e.command = progname
-      raise e
+      raise newShellCommandException("No such command", progname)
   strm.close
 
 # eval evaluates the given string
@@ -325,9 +317,7 @@ proc eval(cmd: string): string =
       result=ps.outputStream.readAll
       ps.close
     except OSError as e:
-      var e = newException(ShellCommandError, progname & ": Command not found")
-      e.command=progname
-      raise e
+      raise newShellCommandException("No such command", progname)
   strm.close
 
 when isMainModule: