diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/database/mysql/mysql_variables.py b/lib/ansible/modules/database/mysql/mysql_variables.py
index bdddc1dacee..e0d0f6b9fea 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/database/mysql/mysql_variables.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/database/mysql/mysql_variables.py
@@ -244,7 +244,8 @@ def main():
             db_connection = MySQLdb.connect(host=module.params["login_host"], port=module.params["login_port"], user=login_user, passwd=login_password, db="mysql")
         cursor = db_connection.cursor()
     except Exception, e:
-        module.fail_json(msg="unable to connect to database, check login_user and login_password are correct or ~/.my.cnf has the credentials")
+        errno, errstr = e.args
+        module.fail_json(msg="unable to connect to database, check login_user and login_password are correct or ~/.my.cnf has the credentials (ERROR: %s %s)" % (errno, errstr))
     mysqlvar_val = getvariable(cursor, mysqlvar)
     if mysqlvar_val is None:
         module.fail_json(msg="Variable not available \"%s\"" % mysqlvar, changed=False)