diff --git a/controllers/cluster_controller_phases.go b/controllers/cluster_controller_phases.go
index 600f19e15ca5..848d3efffee5 100644
--- a/controllers/cluster_controller_phases.go
+++ b/controllers/cluster_controller_phases.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package controllers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -120,7 +121,10 @@ func (r *ClusterReconciler) reconcileExternal(ctx context.Context, cluster *clus
 		cluster.Status.ErrorReason = &clusterStatusError
 	}
 	if errorMessage != "" {
-		cluster.Status.ErrorMessage = pointer.StringPtr(errorMessage)
+		cluster.Status.ErrorMessage = pointer.StringPtr(
+			fmt.Sprintf("Failure detected from referenced resource %v with name %q: %s",
+				obj.GroupVersionKind(), obj.GetName(), errorMessage),
+		)
 	}
 
 	return obj, nil
diff --git a/controllers/machine_controller_phases.go b/controllers/machine_controller_phases.go
index 8835b60bf267..bc8e7cbacf3b 100644
--- a/controllers/machine_controller_phases.go
+++ b/controllers/machine_controller_phases.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package controllers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -128,7 +129,10 @@ func (r *MachineReconciler) reconcileExternal(ctx context.Context, m *clusterv1.
 		m.Status.ErrorReason = &machineStatusError
 	}
 	if errorMessage != "" {
-		m.Status.ErrorMessage = pointer.StringPtr(errorMessage)
+		m.Status.ErrorMessage = pointer.StringPtr(
+			fmt.Sprintf("Failure detected from referenced resource %v with name %q: %s",
+				obj.GroupVersionKind(), obj.GetName(), errorMessage),
+		)
 	}
 
 	return obj, nil