diff --git a/arangod/StorageEngine/EngineSelectorFeature.cpp b/arangod/StorageEngine/EngineSelectorFeature.cpp
index 207df5c595..6b38dffc5c 100644
--- a/arangod/StorageEngine/EngineSelectorFeature.cpp
+++ b/arangod/StorageEngine/EngineSelectorFeature.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void EngineSelectorFeature::prepare() {
   if (basics::FileUtils::isRegularFile(_engineFilePath)){
     std::string content = basics::FileUtils::slurp(_engineFilePath);
     if (content != _engine) {
-      LOG_TOPIC(FATAL, Logger::STARTUP) << "engine selector - content of 'ENGINE' file and command-line option do not match: '" << content << "' != '" << _engine << "'";
+      LOG_TOPIC(FATAL, Logger::STARTUP) << "content of 'ENGINE' file '" << _engineFilePath << "' and command-line/configuration option value do not match: '" << content << "' != '" << _engine << "'. please validate the command-line/configuration option value of '--server.storage-engine' or use a different database directory if the change is intentional";
       FATAL_ERROR_EXIT();
     }
   }
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void EngineSelectorFeature::start() {
     try {
       basics::FileUtils::spit(_engineFilePath, _engine);
     } catch (std::exception const& ex) {
-      LOG_TOPIC(FATAL, Logger::STARTUP) << "engine selector - unable to write ENGINE file" << ex.what();
+      LOG_TOPIC(FATAL, Logger::STARTUP) << "unable to write 'ENGINE' file '" << _engineFilePath << "': " << ex.what();
       FATAL_ERROR_EXIT();
     }
   }