diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/InternalAuthenticationService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/InternalAuthenticationService.java
index 62e32529aee..ee8e5b47808 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/InternalAuthenticationService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/InternalAuthenticationService.java
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ public class InternalAuthenticationService extends AbstractComponent implements
         AuthenticationToken token = token(request);
         if (token == null) {
             auditTrail.anonymousAccessDenied(request);
-            throw new AuthenticationException("missing authentication token");
+            throw new AuthenticationException("missing authentication token for REST request [" + request.uri() + "]");
         }
         User user = authenticate(request, token);
         if (user == null) {
-            throw new AuthenticationException("unable to authenticate user for request");
+            throw new AuthenticationException("unable to authenticate user [" + user.principal() + "] for REST request [" + request.uri() + "]");
         }
         request.putInContext(USER_KEY, user);
         return user;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public class InternalAuthenticationService extends AbstractComponent implements
         if (token == null) {
             if (fallbackUser == null) {
                 auditTrail.anonymousAccessDenied(action, message);
-                throw new AuthenticationException("missing authentication token for request [" + action + "]");
+                throw new AuthenticationException("missing authentication token for action [" + action + "]");
             }
             return fallbackUser;
         }
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ public class InternalAuthenticationService extends AbstractComponent implements
                 }
             }
             auditTrail.authenticationFailed(token, action, message);
-            throw new AuthenticationException("unable to authenticate user for request [" + action + "]");
+            throw new AuthenticationException("unable to authenticate user [" + token.principal() + "] for action [" + action + "]");
         } finally {
             token.clearCredentials();
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authz/InternalAuthorizationService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authz/InternalAuthorizationService.java
index 7d03437514a..039b3f734a7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authz/InternalAuthorizationService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authz/InternalAuthorizationService.java
@@ -208,15 +208,6 @@ public class InternalAuthorizationService extends AbstractComponent implements A
         return roles.build();
     }
 
-    private AuthorizationException denial(User user, String action, TransportRequest request) {
-        auditTrail.accessDenied(user, action, request);
-        return new AuthorizationException("action [" + action + "] is unauthorized for user [" + user.principal() + "]");
-    }
-
-    private void grant(User user, String action, TransportRequest request) {
-        auditTrail.accessGranted(user, action, request);
-    }
-
     private Set<String> resolveIndices(User user, String action, TransportRequest request) {
         MetaData metaData = clusterService.state().metaData();
         for (IndicesResolver resolver : indicesResolvers) {
@@ -238,4 +229,14 @@ public class InternalAuthorizationService extends AbstractComponent implements A
                 action.equals(ClearScrollAction.NAME) ||
                 action.equals(SearchServiceTransportAction.CLEAR_SCROLL_CONTEXTS_ACTION_NAME);
     }
+
+    private AuthorizationException denial(User user, String action, TransportRequest request) {
+        auditTrail.accessDenied(user, action, request);
+        return new AuthorizationException("action [" + action + "] is unauthorized for user [" + user.principal() + "]");
+    }
+
+    private void grant(User user, String action, TransportRequest request) {
+        auditTrail.accessGranted(user, action, request);
+    }
+
 }