diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 2c57a57a01..0d36e8eeff 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Changes in synapse 0.5.4a (2014-12-13)
+======================================
+
+ * Fix bug while generating the error message when a file path specified in
+   the config doesn't exist.
+
 Changes in synapse 0.5.4 (2014-12-03)
 =====================================
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 7d8568351b..64c6e2f460 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.5.4
+0.5.4a
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index 723e15d506..7e49e1fd08 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 """ This is a reference implementation of a synapse home server.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.5.4"
+__version__ = "0.5.4a"
diff --git a/synapse/config/_base.py b/synapse/config/_base.py
index 1426436dcb..1cdd03e414 100644
--- a/synapse/config/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/config/_base.py
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ class Config(object):
             )
         if not os.path.exists(file_path):
             raise ConfigError(
-                "File % config for %s doesn't exist."
+                "File %s config for %s doesn't exist."
                 " Try running again with --generate-config"
-                % (config_name,)
+                % (file_path, config_name,)
             )
         return cls.abspath(file_path)