diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index c9f6ad1d..c99cf4c7 100644
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import subprocess
 from sets import Set
 import pwd
 import argparse
+import time
 
 all_deps = Set()
 dep_tree = {}
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def run_make(module, target):
 	print "========= running make " + target + " in " + path
 	os.chdir(path)
 	if subprocess.call(["make", target]):
-		raise Exception("failed to make target " + target + " in module " + module)
+		raise Exception(time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M") + ": failed to make target " + target + " in module " + module + " below base " + proj_base)
 
 def build(order, target):
 	if target in ["clean", "distclean"]: