diff --git a/History.txt b/History.txt
index 70dd07b..5d7853b 100644
--- a/History.txt
+++ b/History.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
   * Allow clicking links by id and id regexp (gaffo)
   * Raise Webrat::PageLoadError when a failure occurs so that application exceptions can be more accurately tested (Ryan Briones)
+  * Helpful error message for missing option in select box. (Ben Mabey, Ticket #40)
 
 == 0.3.2 / 2008-11-08
 
diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/scope.rb b/lib/webrat/core/scope.rb
index 187e81a..a9fb725 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/scope.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/scope.rb
@@ -87,7 +87,12 @@ module Webrat
     #   selects "February", :from => "event_month"
     #   selects "February", :from => "Event Month"
     def selects(option_text, options = {})
-      find_select_option(option_text, options[:from]).choose
+      if option = find_select_option(option_text, options[:from])
+        option.choose
+      else
+        select_box_text = options[:from] ? " in the '#{options[:from]}' select box" : '' 
+        flunk("The '#{option_text}' option was not found#{select_box_text}") 
+       end
     end
 
     alias_method :select, :selects
diff --git a/spec/api/selects_spec.rb b/spec/api/selects_spec.rb
index e2a1d24..2ee4ae0 100644
--- a/spec/api/selects_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/api/selects_spec.rb
@@ -5,14 +5,15 @@ describe "selects" do
     @session = Webrat::TestSession.new
   end
 
-  it "should fail if option not found" do
+  it "should fail with a helpful message when option not found" do
     @session.response_body = <<-EOS
       <form method="get" action="/login">
         <select name="month"><option value="1">January</option></select>
       </form>
     EOS
     
-    lambda { @session.selects "February", :from => "month" }.should raise_error
+    lambda { @session.selects "February", :from => "month" }.should raise_error(
+          Exception, "The 'February' option was not found in the 'month' select box") 
   end
   
   it "should fail if option not found in list specified by element name" do