diff --git a/src/commands.hxx b/src/commands.hxx
index dab9a2a..d8b14b0 100644
--- a/src/commands.hxx
+++ b/src/commands.hxx
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ class Logger {
     ~Logger();
   private:
     Command* _command;
-    Command* _previous;
     Script* _script;
 };
 
@@ -488,7 +487,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
   public:
     Script():
         _step(0), _clicktype(JAVASCRIPT_CLICK),
-        _screenshots(true), _command(0), _defaultTimeout(20) {
+        _screenshots(true), _defaultTimeout(20) {
       initPrototypes();
     }
     Script(const Script& o):
@@ -496,8 +495,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
         _prototypes(o._prototypes),
         _step(0),
         _script(o._script),
-        _screenshots(true),
-        _command(0) {
+        _screenshots(true) {
       set(o);
     }
     QString syntax() const {
@@ -597,8 +595,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
       command->indent(indent);
       return command;
     } catch (Exception& e) {
-      e.line(linenr);
-      e.file(filename);
+      e.prependFileLine(filename, linenr);
       throw;
     }
     void parse(QStringList in, QString filename, int line = 1, int indent = 0) {
@@ -662,6 +659,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
           if (!_ignores.size() || (*cmd)->tag()=="label") { // not ignored
             _timer.start(_timeout*1000);
             try {
+              command(*cmd);
               if (!(res=(*cmd)->execute(this, frame))) {
                 _timer.stop();
                 if (!back) retries = 0; else --back;
@@ -755,8 +753,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
           if ((*cmd)->isTestcase())
             _testsuites->last()<<testcase;
           removeSignals(frame);
-          e.line((*cmd)->line());
-          e.file((*cmd)->file());
+          e.prependFileLine((*cmd)->file(), (*cmd)->line());
           if (screenshots)
             try { // write html source and take a last screenshot on error
               {
@@ -783,11 +780,15 @@ class Script: public QObject {
       progress("success", 0, 0);
       return res;
     }
-    Command* command() {
+    std::shared_ptr<Command> command() {
       return _command;
     }
-    void command(Command* cmd) {
+    void command(std::shared_ptr<Command> cmd) { // maintained by Logger
       _command = cmd;
+      if (_parent) _parent->command(cmd);
+    }
+    void parent(Script* p) {
+      _parent = p;
     }
     QString& cout() {
       return _cout;
@@ -1033,7 +1034,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
     void log(QString text, Command* command = 0) {
       QString prefix
         (QDateTime::currentDateTime().toString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss "));
-      Command* cmd(command?command:_command);
+      Command* cmd(command?command:_command.get());
       for (QChar& c: text) if (c<32&&c!='\n') c='?';
       if (cmd)
         prefix += QString("%2:%3%1 ")
@@ -1149,7 +1150,7 @@ class Script: public QObject {
                                    QStringList(url.toString())));
     }
     void timedout() {
-      error(TimeOut());
+      error(TimeOut(_command->command()));
     }
   private:
     struct AuthRealm {
@@ -1179,10 +1180,11 @@ class Script: public QObject {
     QString _targetdir;
     std::shared_ptr<xml::Node> _testsuites; ///< only valid within run
     QString _testclass;
-    Command* _command;
+    std::shared_ptr<Command> _command;
     QString _path;
     QString _filename;
     QMap<QString, AuthRealm> _auth;
+    Script* _parent = nullptr;
 };
 
 class CommandContainer: public Command {
@@ -3153,8 +3155,6 @@ inline bool Screenshot::execute(Script* script, QWebFrame* frame) {
 inline Logger::Logger(Command* command, Script* script, bool showLines):
     _command(command), _script(script) {
   if (command) {
-    _previous = _script->command();
-    _script->command(command);
     if (_command->log()) {
       if (showLines)
         _script->log("\\ "+_command->command(), _command);
@@ -3172,7 +3172,6 @@ inline void Logger::operator[](QString txt) {
 inline Logger::~Logger() {
   if (_command) {
     if (_command->log()) _script->log("/ "+_command->tag(), _command);
-    _script->command(_previous);
   }
 }
 
@@ -3200,6 +3199,7 @@ inline bool Command::runScript(Logger& log, Command* parentCommand,
                                QStringList args) {
   Script scriptCopy(*script); // only work with a copy of script
   scriptCopy.set(*parent);
+  scriptCopy.parent(parent);
   if (args.size()!=vars.size())
     error(log, WrongNumberOfArguments(vars, args));
   for (QStringList::iterator var(vars.begin()), arg(args.begin());
diff --git a/src/exceptions.hxx b/src/exceptions.hxx
index de461d0..9885d82 100644
--- a/src/exceptions.hxx
+++ b/src/exceptions.hxx
@@ -20,11 +20,27 @@ class Exception: public std::exception {
       bytes = _what.toUtf8();
       return bytes.data();
     }
-    void line(int linenr) {
-      if (linenr>0) _what=QString::number(linenr)+" "+_what;
+    void prependFileLine(QString filename, int linenr) {
+      if (filename.size()) {
+        if (linenr>0)
+          _what = "→ in file "+filename+" at line "+QString::number(linenr)+":\n→ "+_what;
+        else
+          _what = "→ in file "+filename+":\n→ "+_what;
+      } else if (linenr>0)
+        _what = "→ at line "+QString::number(linenr)+":\n→ "+_what;
     }
-    void file(QString filename) {
-      if (filename.size()) _what=filename+":"+_what;
+  protected:
+    QString q(const QString& text) const {
+      return '"'+text+'"';
+    }
+    QString p(const QString& text) const {
+      return QString("\n"+text).replace("\n", "\n  ");
+    }
+    QString pq(const QString& text) const {
+      return p(q(text));
+    }
+    QString pq(const QStringList& texts) const {
+      return pq(texts.join("\"\n\""));
     }
   protected:
     QString _what;
@@ -32,23 +48,25 @@ class Exception: public std::exception {
 
 class ParseError: public Exception {
   public:
-    ParseError(QString w): Exception("parse error: "+w) {}
+    ParseError(QString w): Exception("parse error:"+p(w)) {}
 };
 
 class UnknownCommand: public ParseError {
   public:
-    UnknownCommand(QString line): ParseError("unknown command: \""+line+"\"") {}
+    UnknownCommand(QString line): ParseError("unknown command:"+p(q(line))) {}
 };
 
 class BadArgument: public ParseError {
   public:
-    BadArgument(QString arg): ParseError("bad argument: "+arg) {}
+    BadArgument(QString arg): ParseError("bad argument:"+p(arg)) {}
 };
 
 class MissingArguments: public ParseError {
   public:
     MissingArguments(QString args, QString req):
-        ParseError("missing arguments, requires "+req+", got: "+args) {}
+        ParseError("missing arguments:"
+                   +p("requires: "+req)
+                   +p("got: "+q(args))) {}
 };
 
 class MissingLine: public ParseError {
@@ -59,7 +77,7 @@ class MissingLine: public ParseError {
 
 class TestFailed: public Exception {
   public:
-    TestFailed(QString why): Exception("Test Failed: "+why) {}
+    TestFailed(QString why): Exception("test failed:"+p(why)) {}
 };
 
 class PossibleRetryLoad: public TestFailed {
@@ -72,10 +90,10 @@ class WrongSignal: public PossibleRetryLoad {
     WrongSignal(QString signal, QStringList args,
                 std::pair<QString, QStringList> received,
                 QStringList sigs):
-        PossibleRetryLoad
-        ("expected: \""+signal+" "+args.join(' ')+"\"; "
-         "received: \""+received.first+" "+received.second.join(' ')
-         +"\"; queue: "+sigs.join(", ")) {
+        PossibleRetryLoad("wrong signal received:"
+                          +p("expected: "+q(signal+" "+args.join(' ')))
+                          +p("received: "+q(received.first+" "+received.second.join(' ')))
+                          +p("queue:"+pq(sigs))) {
     }
 };
 
@@ -86,7 +104,7 @@ class UnhandledSignals: public TestFailed {
         TestFailed("unhandled signals:") {
       while (!sigs.empty()) {
         Signal res(sigs.front());
-        _what += "\n"+res.first+" "+res.second.join(' ');
+        _what += q(res.first+" "+res.second.join(' '));
         sigs.pop();
       }
     }
@@ -94,49 +112,49 @@ class UnhandledSignals: public TestFailed {
 
 class TimeOut: public PossibleRetryLoad {
   public:
-    TimeOut(): PossibleRetryLoad("command timeout") {}
+    TimeOut(QString cmd): PossibleRetryLoad("command timeout:"+p(cmd)) {}
 };
 
 class ElementNotFound: public TestFailed {
   public:
     ElementNotFound(QString selector):
-        TestFailed("element not found: "+selector) {}
+        TestFailed("element not found:"+pq(selector)) {}
 };
 
 class DirectoryCannotBeCreated: public TestFailed {
   public:
     DirectoryCannotBeCreated(QString name):
-        TestFailed("cannot create directory: "+name) {}
+        TestFailed("cannot create directory:"+pq(name)) {}
 };
 
 class CannotWriteScreenshot: public TestFailed {
   public:
     CannotWriteScreenshot(QString name):
-        TestFailed("cannot write screenshot: "+name) {}
+        TestFailed("cannot write screenshot:"+pq(name)) {}
 };
 
 class CannotWriteSouceHTML: public TestFailed {
   public:
     CannotWriteSouceHTML(QString name):
-        TestFailed("cannot write html source code: "+name) {}
+        TestFailed("cannot write html source code:"+pq(name)) {}
 };
 
 class FileNotFound: public TestFailed {
   public:
-    FileNotFound(QString arg): TestFailed("file not found: "+arg) {}
+    FileNotFound(QString arg): TestFailed("file not found:"+pq(arg)) {}
 };
 
 class NotACertificate: public TestFailed {
   public:
     NotACertificate(QString arg):
-        TestFailed("file is not a certificate: "+arg) {
+        TestFailed("file is not a certificate:"+pq(arg)) {
     }
 };
 
 class KeyNotReadable: public TestFailed {
   public:
     KeyNotReadable(QString arg):
-        TestFailed("key file is not readable (password?): "+arg) {
+        TestFailed("key file is not readable (password?):"+pq(arg)) {
     }
 };
 
@@ -148,7 +166,7 @@ class NotUnattended: public TestFailed {
 class LastFileNotUploaded: public TestFailed {
   public:
     LastFileNotUploaded(QString arg):
-        TestFailed("last specified upload file has not been uploaded: "+arg) {
+        TestFailed("last specified upload file has not been uploaded:"+pq(arg)) {
     }
 };
 
@@ -165,38 +183,40 @@ class NoUploadFile: public TestFailed {
 class SetFileUploadFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     SetFileUploadFailed(QString selector, QString filename):
-        TestFailed("set file upload failed for selector "+selector
-                   +" and file "+filename) {
+        TestFailed("set file upload failed for:"
+                   +p("selector: "+q(selector))
+                   +p("file: "+q(filename))) {
     }
 };
 
 class AssertionFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     AssertionFailed(QString text):
-        TestFailed("assertion failed: "+text) {
+        TestFailed("assertion failed:"+pq(text)) {
     }
 };
 
 class DownloadFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     DownloadFailed(QString file):
-        TestFailed("download failed of file \""+file+"\"") {
+        TestFailed("download failed of file:"+pq(file)) {
     }
 };
 
 class WriteFileFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     WriteFileFailed(QString file):
-        TestFailed("write failed of file \""+QDir(file).absolutePath()+"\"") {
+        TestFailed("write failed of file:"+pq(QDir(file).absolutePath())) {
     }
 };
 
 class ScriptFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     ScriptFailed(QString dsc, QString cmd, QStringList args, QString script):
-        TestFailed(dsc+"; command: "+cmd
-                   +(args.size()?" "+args.join(' '):QString())
-                   +(script.size()?"\n"+script:QString())) {
+        TestFailed(dsc
+                   +p("command: "
+                      +pq(cmd+(args.size()?" "+args.join(' '):QString())))
+                   +(script.size()?p("script:"+p(script)):QString())) {
     }
 };
 
@@ -226,8 +246,8 @@ class ScriptExecutionFailed: public ScriptFailed {
     ScriptExecutionFailed(QString command, QStringList args, QString script,
                           int code, QString sout, QString serr):
         ScriptFailed("failed with exit code "+QString::number(code)
-                     +(sout.size()?"; sout=\""+sout+"\"":"")
-                     +(serr.size()?"; serr=\""+serr+"\"":""),
+                     +(sout.size()?p("stdout: "+q(sout)):"")
+                     +(serr.size()?p("stderr: "+q(serr)):""),
                      command, args, script) {
     }
 };
@@ -244,53 +264,53 @@ class FunctionCallFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     FunctionCallFailed(QString name, QStringList vars, QStringList args,
                        const std::exception& x):
-        TestFailed("function call failed: "+name) {
-        for (QStringList::iterator var(vars.begin()), arg(args.begin());
-             var<vars.end() && arg<args.end(); ++var, ++arg)
-          _what += " "+*var+"="+*arg;
-        _what += QString("; reason: ")+x.what();
+        TestFailed("function call failed:"+p(name)) {
+      for (QStringList::iterator var(vars.begin()), arg(args.begin());
+           var<vars.end() && arg<args.end(); ++var, ++arg)
+        _what += " "+*var+"="+*arg;
+      _what += p("reason:"+p(x.what()));
     }
 };
 
 class FunctionNotFound: public TestFailed {
   public:
-    FunctionNotFound(QString name): TestFailed("function not found: "+name) {
-    }
+    FunctionNotFound(QString name): TestFailed("function not found:"+pq(name)) {}
 };
 
 class VariableNotFound: public TestFailed {
   public:
     VariableNotFound(QString name):
-        TestFailed("variable not found: "+name) {
+        TestFailed("variable not found:"+pq(name)) {
     }
 };
 
 class CheckFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     CheckFailed(QString value1, char cmp, QString value2):
-        TestFailed(QString("check failed: %1 %2 %3")
-                   .arg(value1).arg(cmp).arg(value2)) {
+        TestFailed("check failed:"
+                   +p(QString("%1 %2 %3")
+                      .arg(value1).arg(cmp).arg(value2))) {
     }
 };
 
 class OpenIncludeFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     OpenIncludeFailed(QString file):
-        TestFailed(QString("open include file %1 failed").arg(file)) {
+        TestFailed(QString("open include file %1 failed").arg(q(file))) {
     }
 };
 
 class ParseIncludeFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     ParseIncludeFailed(QString file, QString msg):
-        TestFailed(QString("parse include file %1 failed with: %2").arg(file).arg(msg)) {
+        TestFailed(QString("parse include file %1 failed with:%2").arg(q(file)).arg(p(msg))) {
     }
 };
 
 class ExecuteIncludeFailed: public TestFailed {
   public:
     ExecuteIncludeFailed(QString file, QString msg):
-        TestFailed(QString("error in included file %1: %2").arg(file).arg(msg)) {
+        TestFailed(QString("error in included file %1:%2").arg(file).arg(p(msg))) {
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/testgui.hxx b/src/testgui.hxx
index 6e836bd..7be3e0e 100644
--- a/src/testgui.hxx
+++ b/src/testgui.hxx
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ class TestGUI: public QMainWindow, protected Ui::TestGUI {
       _record->setChecked(false);
       _record->setEnabled(false);
       _run->setEnabled(false);
+      Script script;
       try {
-        Script script;
         connect(&script, SIGNAL(logging(QString)), SLOT(logging(QString)));
         connect(&script, SIGNAL(progress(QString, int, int)), SLOT(progress(QString, int, int)));
         std::shared_ptr<xml::Node> testsuites(new xml::Node("testsuite"));
@@ -176,9 +176,33 @@ class TestGUI: public QMainWindow, protected Ui::TestGUI {
         _status->setCurrentIndex(STATUS_SUCCESS);
       } catch (std::exception &x) {
         _status->setCurrentIndex(STATUS_ERROR);
-        QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("Test Failed"), tr("Error [%1]: %2")
-                              .arg(demangle(typeid(x).name()))
-                              .arg(x.what()));
+        std::shared_ptr<Command> cmd(script.command());
+        if (cmd)
+          QMessageBox::critical(this,
+                                tr("Test Failed"),
+                                tr("<html>"
+                                   "  <h1>Error [%1]</h1>"
+                                   "  <dl>"
+                                   "    <dt>Command:</dt><dd><code>%3</code></dd>"
+                                   "    <dt>File:</dt><dd>%4</dd>"
+                                   "    <dt>Line:</dt><dd>%5</dd>"
+                                   "    <dt>Error Message:</dt><dd><pre>%2</pre></dd>"
+                                   "  </dl>"
+                                   "</html>")
+                                .arg(demangle(typeid(x).name()))
+                                .arg(x.what())
+                                .arg(cmd->command())
+                                .arg(cmd->file())
+                                .arg(cmd->line()));
+        else
+          QMessageBox::critical(this,
+                                tr("Test Failed"),
+                                tr("<html>"
+                                   "  <h1>Error [%1]</h1>"
+                                   "  <p><code>%2</code></p>"
+                                   "</html>")
+                                .arg(demangle(typeid(x).name()))
+                                .arg(QString(x.what()).replace("\n", "<br/>")));
       }
       _run->setEnabled(true);
       _record->setEnabled(true);