diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeOperationAction.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeOperationAction.java
index a058787c256..27be335e2c8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeOperationAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/master/TransportMasterNodeOperationAction.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public abstract class TransportMasterNodeOperationAction<Request extends MasterN
                         @Override
                         public void onTimeout(TimeValue timeout) {
                             clusterService.remove(this);
-                            listener.onFailure(new MasterNotDiscoveredException());
+                            listener.onFailure(new MasterNotDiscoveredException("waited for [" + timeout + "]"));
                         }
 
                         @Override