diff --git a/formats/ctf/ctf.c b/formats/ctf/ctf.c
index 8318a96..63ef4af 100644
--- a/formats/ctf/ctf.c
+++ b/formats/ctf/ctf.c
@@ -1842,7 +1842,14 @@ int import_stream_packet_index(struct ctf_trace *td,
 
 	len = fread(&index_hdr, sizeof(index_hdr), 1, pos->index_fp);
 	if (len != 1) {
-		perror("read index file header");
+                char msgbuf[256];
+                strerror_r(errno, msgbuf, sizeof(msgbuf) );
+                if (len == 0) {
+                        strncpy(msgbuf, "Index file is too short", sizeof(msgbuf) );
+                }
+                fprintf(stderr, "[error] An index file under %s: %s\n",
+                        td->parent.path, msgbuf);
+                ret = -1;
 		goto error;
 	}