diff --git a/lib/hydra/runner.rb b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
index 682092f..5205e1c 100644
--- a/lib/hydra/runner.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
       end
     end
 
+    def format_ex_in_file(file, ex)
+      "Error in #{file}:\n  #{format_exception(ex)}"
+    end
+
+    def format_exception(ex)
+      "#{ex.class.name}: #{ex.message}\n    #{ex.backtrace.join("\n    ")}"
+    end
+
     # Run all the Test::Unit Suites in a ruby file
     def run_test_unit_file(file)
       begin
@@ -88,7 +96,7 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
         return ex.to_s
       rescue Exception => ex
         trace "Error requiring #{file} [#{ex.to_s}]"
-        return ex.to_s
+        return format_ex_in_file(file, ex)
       end
       output = []
       @result = Test::Unit::TestResult.new
@@ -100,7 +108,7 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
       begin
         klasses.each{|klass| klass.suite.run(@result){|status, name| ;}}
       rescue => ex
-        output << ex.to_s
+        output << format_ex_in_file(file, ex)
       end
 
       return output.join("\n")
diff --git a/test/master_test.rb b/test/master_test.rb
index 09c6d4d..ca6091a 100644
--- a/test/master_test.rb
+++ b/test/master_test.rb
@@ -23,13 +23,28 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     # this test simulates what happens when we have 2 tests with the same
     # class name but with different parent classes.  This can happen when 
     # we have a functional and an integration test class with the same name.
-    should "run even with a test that is invalidwill not require" do
+    should "run even with a test that will not require" do
+      class FileOutputListener < Hydra::Listener::Abstract
+        attr_accessor :output
+        def initialize(&block)
+          self.output = {}
+        end
+
+        def file_end(file, output)
+          self.output[file] = output
+        end
+      end
+
+      listener =  FileOutputListener.new
       sync_test = File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'fixtures', 'sync_test.rb')
       Hydra::Master.new(
         # we want the actual test to run last to make sure the runner can still run tests
         :files => [sync_test, conflicting_test_file, test_file],
-        :autosort => false
+        :autosort => false,
+        :listeners => [listener]
       )
+      assert_match /superclass mismatch for class SyncTest/, listener.output[conflicting_test_file]
+      assert_match conflicting_test_file, listener.output[conflicting_test_file]
       assert File.exists?(target_file)
       assert_equal "HYDRA", File.read(target_file)
     end