diff --git a/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBDemuxHandles.cc b/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBDemuxHandles.cc
index 3016a52dcc4169ee165beb8e30994f1128a7a113..a8f33a726a4deaf9682a2aa7c7e98f190ed2cccd 100644
--- a/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBDemuxHandles.cc
+++ b/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBDemuxHandles.cc
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBDemuxSectionSocketProtocol::init_client(unsigned short ada
     std::string devDemux = str( boost::format(
             "/dev/dvb/adapter%d/demux%d") % adapter % device);
     int f = open(devDemux.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
-    if (f < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+    if (f < 0){
+        throw SystemException( "Could not open demux device of DVB adapter ") << devDemux;
+    }
     fd(f);
 }
 
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBDemuxSectionSocketProtocol::setSectionFilter(struct dmx_sc
     const
 {
     if (::ioctl(fd(), DMX_SET_FILTER, filter) < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException("Could not set section filter of DVB adapter");
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBDemuxPESSocketProtocol::init_client(unsigned short adapter
             "/dev/dvb/adapter%d/demux%d") % adapter % device);
     int f = open(devDemux.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
     if (f < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException( "Could not open demux device of DVB adapter ") << devDemux;
     fd(f);
 }
 
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBDemuxPESSocketProtocol::setPESFilter(struct dmx_pes_filter
     const
 {
     if (::ioctl(fd(), DMX_SET_PES_FILTER, filter) < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException("Could not set PES filter of DVB adapter");
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBDvrSocketProtocol::init_client(unsigned short adapter, uns
             "/dev/dvb/adapter%d/dvr%d") % adapter % device);
     int f = open(devDvr.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
     if (f < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException( "Could not open dvr device of DVB adapter ") << devDvr;
     fd(f);
 }
 
diff --git a/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBFrontendHandle.cc b/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBFrontendHandle.cc
index 28ef5fabf70fdae5ab4682d07c92ad3a4d560778..1e47c7a11aa26f28f4384345c17054fdb8abe570 100644
--- a/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBFrontendHandle.cc
+++ b/Socket/Protocols/DVB/DVBFrontendHandle.cc
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBFrontendSocketProtocol::init_client(uint8_t adapter, boost
             "/dev/dvb/adapter%d/frontend%d") % adapter % device);
     int f = open(devFrontend.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
     if (f < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException("Could not open frontend device of DVB adapter ")<< devFrontend;
+    
     fd(f);
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::DVBFrontendSocketProtocol::signalStrength(int16_t *strength)
     const
 {
     if (::ioctl(fd(), FE_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH, strength) < 0)
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException( "Could not get signal strength of DVB adapter");
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////cc.e////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/Socket/Protocols/Raw/TunTapSocketHandle.cc b/Socket/Protocols/Raw/TunTapSocketHandle.cc
index 8784b991df92cd20e5900631f55f07d960ca0e69..6734b8a53a2d4efff3749ee03eac7b812e58abeb 100644
--- a/Socket/Protocols/Raw/TunTapSocketHandle.cc
+++ b/Socket/Protocols/Raw/TunTapSocketHandle.cc
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::TapSocketProtocol::init_client(std::string const & interface_
 {
     int f;
     if ( (f = ::open("/dev/net/tun", O_RDWR)) < 0 )
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException( "Could not open tap control device: /dev/net/tun");
     struct ifreq ifr;
     ::memset( &ifr, 0, sizeof(ifr));
     ifr.ifr_flags = IFF_TAP;
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ prefix_ void senf::TapSocketProtocol::init_client(std::string const & interface_
         ifr.ifr_flags |= IFF_NO_PI;
     interface_name.copy( ifr.ifr_name, IFNAMSIZ);
     if (::ioctl(f, TUNSETIFF, (void *) &ifr) < 0 )
-        throw SystemException();
+        throw SystemException( "Could not create tap device: ") << ifr.ifr_name;
     fd(f);
 }