diff --git a/cmd/synergys/synergys.cpp b/cmd/synergys/synergys.cpp
index 7191a440..522f6710 100644
--- a/cmd/synergys/synergys.cpp
+++ b/cmd/synergys/synergys.cpp
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ loadConfig(const char* pathname, bool require)
 		LOG((CLOG_DEBUG "opening configuration \"%s\"", pathname));
 		std::ifstream configStream(pathname);
 		if (!configStream) {
-			throw XConfigRead("cannot open configuration");
+			throw XConfigRead("cannot open file");
 		}
 		configStream >> s_config;
 		LOG((CLOG_DEBUG "configuration read successfully"));
diff --git a/lib/server/CConfig.cpp b/lib/server/CConfig.cpp
index 942e23c9..c068790c 100644
--- a/lib/server/CConfig.cpp
+++ b/lib/server/CConfig.cpp
@@ -823,5 +823,5 @@ XConfigRead::~XConfigRead()
 CString
 XConfigRead::getWhat() const throw()
 {
-	return format("XConfigRead", "read error: %s", m_error.c_str());
+	return format("XConfigRead", "read error: %{1}", m_error.c_str());
 }