diff --git a/src/ikarus/persistence/project.cpp b/src/ikarus/persistence/project.cpp
index 9c264f1..b2e92f8 100644
--- a/src/ikarus/persistence/project.cpp
+++ b/src/ikarus/persistence/project.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,12 @@ IkarusProject * ikarus_project_create(char const * path, char const * name, Ikar
         boost::system::error_code ec;
         bool const exists = fs::exists(fs_path, ec);
 
-        IKARUS_FAIL_IF(ec, nullptr, "unable to check whether path is occupied", IkarusErrorInfo_Filesystem_AlreadyExists);
+        IKARUS_FAIL_IF(
+            ec,
+            nullptr,
+            fmt::format("unable to check whether path is occupied: {}", ec.message()),
+            IkarusErrorInfo_Filesystem_AlreadyExists
+        );
         IKARUS_FAIL_IF(exists, nullptr, "path is already occupied", IkarusErrorInfo_Filesystem_AlreadyExists);
     }