diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation.rb
index 4b450f2..8801a44 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation.rb
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       def validate
         super
         messages.each do |message|
-          raise ValidationError, "nested message has different author" if message.author != author
+          raise ValidationError, "nested #{message} has different author: author=#{author}" if message.author != author
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message.rb
index f1627ce..b53f154 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message.rb
@@ -38,15 +38,15 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # @deprecated remove after {Message} doesn't include {Relayable} anymore
       def verify_author_signature
         pubkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_public_key, author)
-        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "author_signature author=#{author} guid=#{guid}" if pubkey.nil?
-        raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong author_signature" unless verify_signature(pubkey, author_signature)
+        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "author_signature author=#{author} obj=#{self}" if pubkey.nil?
+        raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "obj=#{self}" unless verify_signature(pubkey, author_signature)
         true
       end
 
       # @deprecated remove after {Message} doesn't include {Relayable} anymore
       def parent_author
         parent = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_related_entity, "Conversation", conversation_guid)
-        raise Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable, "Conversation:#{conversation_guid} not found" unless parent
+        raise Federation::Fetcher::NotFetchable, "parent of #{self} not found" unless parent
         parent.author
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation.rb
index d7e23e2..4eb4808 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # validates that the parent exists and the parent author is local
       def validate_parent
         parent = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_related_entity, parent_type, parent_guid)
-        raise ParentNotLocal, "parent: #{parent_type}:#{parent_guid}" unless parent && parent.local
+        raise ParentNotLocal, "obj=#{self}" unless parent && parent.local
       end
 
       # Don't verify signatures for a {Participation}. Validate that the parent is local.
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
index 7816f1f..13ab464 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/relayable.rb
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # @raise [SignatureVerificationFailed] if the signature is not valid or no public key is found
       def verify_signatures
         pubkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_public_key, author)
-        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "author_signature author=#{author} guid=#{guid}" if pubkey.nil?
-        raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong author_signature" unless verify_signature(pubkey, author_signature)
+        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "author_signature author=#{author} obj=#{self}" if pubkey.nil?
+        unless verify_signature(pubkey, author_signature)
+          raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong author_signature for #{self}"
+        end
 
         verify_parent_author_signature unless parent.local
       end
@@ -102,9 +104,9 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # this happens only on downstream federation
       def verify_parent_author_signature
         pubkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_public_key, parent.author)
-        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "parent_author_signature parent_author=#{parent.author} guid=#{guid}" if pubkey.nil?
+        raise PublicKeyNotFound, "parent_author_signature parent_author=#{parent.author} obj=#{self}" if pubkey.nil?
         unless verify_signature(pubkey, parent_author_signature)
-          raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong parent_author_signature parent_guid=#{parent_guid}"
+          raise SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong parent_author_signature for #{self}"
         end
       end
 
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         end
 
         pubkey.verify(DIGEST, Base64.decode64(signature), signature_data).tap do |valid|
-          logger.info "event=verify_signature status=complete guid=#{guid} valid=#{valid}"
+          logger.info "event=verify_signature status=complete obj=#{self} valid=#{valid}"
         end
       end
 
@@ -129,9 +131,9 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       # @return [String] A Base64 encoded signature of #signature_data with key
       def sign_with_author
         privkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_private_key, author)
-        raise AuthorPrivateKeyNotFound, "author=#{author} guid=#{guid}" if privkey.nil?
+        raise AuthorPrivateKeyNotFound, "author=#{author} obj=#{self}" if privkey.nil?
         sign_with_key(privkey).tap do
-          logger.info "event=sign status=complete signature=author_signature author=#{author} guid=#{guid}"
+          logger.info "event=sign status=complete signature=author_signature author=#{author} obj=#{self}"
         end
       end
 
@@ -141,7 +143,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         privkey = DiasporaFederation.callbacks.trigger(:fetch_private_key, parent.author)
         if privkey
           sign_with_key(privkey).tap do
-            logger.info "event=sign status=complete signature=parent_author_signature guid=#{guid}"
+            logger.info "event=sign status=complete signature=parent_author_signature obj=#{self}"
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
index 7832b6d..f945565 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ module DiasporaFederation
       def validate
         super
         photos.each do |photo|
-          raise ValidationError, "nested photo has different author" if photo.author != author
+          if photo.author != author
+            raise ValidationError, "nested #{photo} has different author: author=#{author} obj=#{self}"
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
index 341ea37..9a794a5 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/conversation_spec.rb
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ XML
         invalid_data = data.merge(author: alice.diaspora_id)
         expect {
           Entities::Conversation.new(invalid_data)
-        }.to raise_error Entity::ValidationError, "nested message has different author"
+        }.to raise_error Entity::ValidationError
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
index 04769d1..f1e6e97 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/message_spec.rb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ XML
         invalid_entity = Entities::Message.new(data.merge(author_signature: "aa"))
         expect {
           invalid_entity.sender_valid?(bob.diaspora_id)
-        }.to raise_error Entities::Relayable::SignatureVerificationFailed, "wrong author_signature"
+        }.to raise_error Entities::Relayable::SignatureVerificationFailed, "obj=#{invalid_entity}"
       end
 
       it "raises NotFetchable if the parent Conversation can not be found" do
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
index cc62b02..8ff1242 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/participation_spec.rb
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ XML
       end
 
       describe "#validate_parent" do
-        let(:xml) {
+        let(:participation) {
           allow(DiasporaFederation.callbacks).to receive(:trigger).and_call_original
-          Entities::Participation.new(data).to_xml
+          Entities::Participation.new(data)
         }
 
         it "succeeds when the parent is local" do
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ XML
           expect_callback(:fetch_related_entity, parent.entity_type, parent.guid).and_return(local_parent)
 
           expect {
-            Entities::Participation.from_xml(xml)
+            Entities::Participation.from_xml(participation.to_xml)
           }.not_to raise_error
         end
 
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ XML
           expect_callback(:fetch_related_entity, parent.entity_type, parent.guid).and_return(nil)
 
           expect {
-            Entities::Participation.from_xml(xml)
-          }.to raise_error Entities::Participation::ParentNotLocal, "parent: #{parent.entity_type}:#{parent.guid}"
+            Entities::Participation.from_xml(participation.to_xml)
+          }.to raise_error Entities::Participation::ParentNotLocal, "obj=#{participation}"
         end
 
         it "raises ParentNotLocal when the parent is not local" do
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ XML
           expect_callback(:fetch_related_entity, parent.entity_type, parent.guid).and_return(remote_parent)
 
           expect {
-            Entities::Participation.from_xml(xml)
-          }.to raise_error Entities::Participation::ParentNotLocal, "parent: #{parent.entity_type}:#{parent.guid}"
+            Entities::Participation.from_xml(participation.to_xml)
+          }.to raise_error Entities::Participation::ParentNotLocal, "obj=#{participation}"
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
index e02b0cc..d428c9e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/entities/status_message_spec.rb
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
         invalid_data = data.merge(author: FactoryGirl.generate(:diaspora_id))
         expect {
           Entities::StatusMessage.new(invalid_data)
-        }.to raise_error Entity::ValidationError, "nested photo has different author"
+        }.to raise_error Entity::ValidationError
       end
     end
   end