diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/invoke/MethodHandle.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/invoke/MethodHandle.java
index 3dfd9c061bf..edcecce37e0 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/invoke/MethodHandle.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/invoke/MethodHandle.java
@@ -1719,7 +1719,8 @@ assertEquals("[three, thee, tee]", asListFix.invoke((Object)argv).toString());
         try {
             return this.withVarargs(true);
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
-            throw member.makeAccessException("cannot make variable arity", null);
+            throw new IllegalAccessException("cannot make variable arity: " + member +
+                    " does not have a trailing array parameter");
         }
     }