diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 5069c35d..f8848764 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ ask CVS about it:
     for example:
       cvs diff -r V2-0-0 -r V2-0-1 -u
 
+2.5.3 (2000????)
+  Programs i2cdetect, i2cdump: Improve error reporting
+
 2.5.2 (20000709)
   File sensors.conf.eg: Fix lm80 in8 calculation
   Module w83781d: W83783S no longer crashes on unloading
diff --git a/prog/detect/i2cdetect.c b/prog/detect/i2cdetect.c
index 5de5f49c..0a8af6f4 100644
--- a/prog/detect/i2cdetect.c
+++ b/prog/detect/i2cdetect.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   char *end;
   int i,j,res,i2cbus,file;
+  int e1, e2;
   char filename1[20];
   char filename2[20];
   char *filename;
@@ -71,9 +72,25 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   sprintf(filename1,"/dev/i2c-%d",i2cbus);
   sprintf(filename2,"/dev/i2c%d",i2cbus);
   if ((file = open(filename1,O_RDWR)) < 0) {
+    e1 = errno;
     if ((file = open(filename2,O_RDWR)) < 0) {
-      fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' or `%s': %s\n",filename1,
-              filename2,strerror(errno));
+      e2 = errno;
+      if(e1 == ENOENT && e2 == ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' or `%s': %s\n",
+                   filename1,filename2,strerror(ENOENT));
+      }
+      if (e1 != ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' : %s\n",
+                   filename1,strerror(e1));
+        if(e1 == EACCES)
+          fprintf(stderr,"Run as root?\n");
+      }
+      if (e2 != ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' : %s\n",
+                   filename2,strerror(e2));
+        if(e2 == EACCES)
+          fprintf(stderr,"Run as root?\n");
+      }
       exit(1);
     } else {
        filename = filename2;
diff --git a/prog/dump/i2cdump.c b/prog/dump/i2cdump.c
index 1fb0350a..6ef8e878 100644
--- a/prog/dump/i2cdump.c
+++ b/prog/dump/i2cdump.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   char *end;
   int i,j,res,i2cbus,address,size,file;
+  int e1, e2;
   int bank = 0, bankreg = 0x4E;
   char filename1[20];
   char filename2[20];
@@ -128,9 +129,25 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   sprintf(filename1,"/dev/i2c-%d",i2cbus);
   sprintf(filename2,"/dev/i2c%d",i2cbus);
   if ((file = open(filename1,O_RDWR)) < 0) {
+    e1 = errno;
     if ((file = open(filename2,O_RDWR)) < 0) {
-      fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' or `%s': %s\n",filename1,
-              filename2,strerror(errno));
+      e2 = errno;
+      if(e1 == ENOENT && e2 == ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' or `%s': %s\n",
+                   filename1,filename2,strerror(ENOENT));
+      }
+      if (e1 != ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' : %s\n",
+                   filename1,strerror(e1));
+        if(e1 == EACCES)
+          fprintf(stderr,"Run as root?\n");
+      }
+      if (e2 != ENOENT) {
+        fprintf(stderr,"Error: Could not open file `%s' : %s\n",
+                   filename2,strerror(e2));
+        if(e2 == EACCES)
+          fprintf(stderr,"Run as root?\n");
+      }
       exit(1);
     } else {
       filename = filename2;