diff --git a/cmds-check.c b/cmds-check.c
index 89d34d8c..c94216be 100644
--- a/cmds-check.c
+++ b/cmds-check.c
@@ -12912,8 +12912,10 @@ int cmd_check(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	ret = repair_root_items(info);
 	err |= !!ret;
-	if (ret < 0)
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		error("failed to repair root items: %s", strerror(-ret));
 		goto close_out;
+	}
 	if (repair) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Fixed %d roots.\n", ret);
 		ret = 0;
@@ -12936,8 +12938,13 @@ int cmd_check(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 	ret = check_space_cache(root);
 	err |= !!ret;
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		if (btrfs_fs_compat_ro(info, FREE_SPACE_TREE))
+			error("errors found in free space tree");
+		else
+			error("errors found in free space cache");
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * We used to have to have these hole extents in between our real
@@ -12953,22 +12960,28 @@ int cmd_check(int argc, char **argv)
 	else
 		ret = check_fs_roots(root, &root_cache);
 	err |= !!ret;
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		error("errors found in fs roots");
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "checking csums\n");
 	ret = check_csums(root);
 	err |= !!ret;
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		error("errors found in csum tree");
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "checking root refs\n");
 	/* For low memory mode, check_fs_roots_v2 handles root refs */
 	if (check_mode != CHECK_MODE_LOWMEM) {
 		ret = check_root_refs(root, &root_cache);
 		err |= !!ret;
-		if (ret)
+		if (ret) {
+			error("errors found in root refs");
 			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	while (repair && !list_empty(&root->fs_info->recow_ebs)) {
@@ -12979,8 +12992,10 @@ int cmd_check(int argc, char **argv)
 		list_del_init(&eb->recow);
 		ret = recow_extent_buffer(root, eb);
 		err |= !!ret;
-		if (ret)
+		if (ret) {
+			error("fails to fix transid errors");
 			break;
+		}
 	}
 
 	while (!list_empty(&delete_items)) {
@@ -12999,13 +13014,17 @@ int cmd_check(int argc, char **argv)
 		fprintf(stderr, "checking quota groups\n");
 		ret = qgroup_verify_all(info);
 		err |= !!ret;
-		if (ret)
+		if (ret) {
+			error("failed to check quota groups");
 			goto out;
+		}
 		report_qgroups(0);
 		ret = repair_qgroups(info, &qgroups_repaired);
 		err |= !!ret;
-		if (err)
+		if (err) {
+			error("failed to repair quota groups");
 			goto out;
+		}
 		ret = 0;
 	}
 
@@ -13026,8 +13045,12 @@ out:
 		       "backup data and re-format the FS. *\n\n");
 		err |= 1;
 	}
-	printf("found %llu bytes used err is %d\n",
-	       (unsigned long long)bytes_used, ret);
+	printf("found %llu bytes used, ",
+	       (unsigned long long)bytes_used);
+	if (err)
+		printf("error(s) found\n");
+	else
+		printf("no error found\n");
 	printf("total csum bytes: %llu\n",(unsigned long long)total_csum_bytes);
 	printf("total tree bytes: %llu\n",
 	       (unsigned long long)total_btree_bytes);