diff --git a/apps/django_gpg/api.py b/apps/django_gpg/api.py
index 7e188f8d4c..5b5d06fd8f 100644
--- a/apps/django_gpg/api.py
+++ b/apps/django_gpg/api.py
@@ -341,4 +341,4 @@ class GPG(object):
         if import_result:
             return Key.get(self, import_result.fingerprints[0], secret=False)
 
-        raise KeyImportError
+        raise KeyImportError(import_result.results[0].get('text', 'Unknown error'))
diff --git a/apps/django_gpg/views.py b/apps/django_gpg/views.py
index e3dcd4981e..09a74d0a4d 100644
--- a/apps/django_gpg/views.py
+++ b/apps/django_gpg/views.py
@@ -37,8 +37,15 @@ def key_receive(request, key_id):
             key = gpg.import_key(keys_dict[key_id].key)
             messages.success(request, _(u'Key: %s, imported successfully.') % key)
             return HttpResponseRedirect(next)
-        except (KeyImportError, KeyError, TypeError):
-            messages.error(request, _(u'Unable to import key id: %s') % key_id)
+        except (KeyImportError, KeyError, TypeError), e:
+            messages.error(
+                request,
+                _(u'Unable to import key id: %(key_id)s; %(error)s') % 
+                {
+                    'key_id': key_id,
+                    'error': e,
+                }
+            )
             return HttpResponseRedirect(previous)
 
     return render_to_response('generic_confirm.html', {