diff --git a/contrib/fast-import/git-p4 b/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
index db19b17782..6b847c4cb8 100755
--- a/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
+++ b/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
@@ -1445,6 +1445,10 @@ class P4Sync(Command):
             if 'code' in info and info['code'] == 'error':
                 sys.stderr.write("p4 returned an error: %s\n"
                                  % info['data'])
+                if info['data'].find("must refer to client") >= 0:
+                    sys.stderr.write("This particular p4 error is misleading.\n")
+                    sys.stderr.write("Perhaps the depot path was misspelled.\n");
+                    sys.stderr.write("Depot path:  %s\n" % " ".join(self.depotPaths))
                 sys.exit(1)
             if 'p4ExitCode' in info:
                 sys.stderr.write("p4 exitcode: %s\n" % info['p4ExitCode'])