diff --git a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/AsmAdaptor.java b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/AsmAdaptor.java
index d9626d988..c83b69108 100644
--- a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/AsmAdaptor.java
+++ b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/AsmAdaptor.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.net.URLDecoder;
 
+import org.apache.openjpa.lib.util.Localizer;
+
 /**
  * Use ASM to add required StackMapTable attribute to the byte code generated by
  * Serp.
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ import java.net.URLDecoder;
  * At last we try to use the shaded version from Spring.
  */
 public final class AsmAdaptor {
+    private static final Localizer _loc = Localizer.forPackage(AsmAdaptor.class);
+    
     private static final int Java7_MajorVersion = 51;
 
     private static Class<?> cwClass;
@@ -66,7 +70,7 @@ public final class AsmAdaptor {
             classWriterConstructor = cwClass.getConstructor(int.class);
             classWritertoByteArray = cwClass.getMethod("toByteArray");
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            throw new IllegalStateException("can't find all needed ASM stuff", e);
+            throw new IllegalStateException(_loc.get("static-asm-exception").getMessage(), e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/resources/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/localizer.properties b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/resources/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/localizer.properties
index dbd0371c0..32a7c4b8e 100644
--- a/openjpa-kernel/src/main/resources/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/localizer.properties
+++ b/openjpa-kernel/src/main/resources/org/apache/openjpa/enhance/localizer.properties
@@ -219,3 +219,4 @@ set-field: Error while setting value {2} of {3} on field {1} of instance {0} by
 set-method: Error while setting value {2} of {3} by setter method {1} of instance {0} by reflection.
 down-level-enhanced-entity: The Entity "{0}" was enhanced at level "{1}", but the current level of enhancement is \
 "{2}". 
+static-asm-exception: Encountered an unexpected exception while loading ASM.