diff --git a/django/core/urlresolvers.py b/django/core/urlresolvers.py
index b5cdccb7306..b5376336466 100644
--- a/django/core/urlresolvers.py
+++ b/django/core/urlresolvers.py
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@ class RegexURLPattern:
         mod_name, func_name = get_mod_func(self.callback)
         try:
             return getattr(__import__(mod_name, '', '', ['']), func_name)
-        except (ImportError, AttributeError), e:
-            raise ViewDoesNotExist, "Tried %s. Error was: %s" % (self.callback, str(e))
+        except ImportError, e:
+            raise ViewDoesNotExist, "Could not import %s. Error was: %s" % (mod_name, str(e))
+        except AttributeError, e:
+            raise ViewDoesNotExist, "Tried %s in module %s. Error was: %s" % (func_name, mod_name, str(e))
 
 class RegexURLMultiplePattern:
     def __init__(self, regex, urlconf_module):