diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/coherence/orphan.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/coherence/orphan.rs
index 15d4026254fa5..49959a7a3b2cb 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/coherence/orphan.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/coherence/orphan.rs
@@ -228,12 +228,14 @@ impl<'cx, 'tcx> OrphanChecker<'cx, 'tcx> {
                 match traits::orphan_check(self.tcx, def_id) {
                     Ok(()) => { }
                     Err(traits::OrphanCheckErr::NoLocalInputType) => {
-                        span_err!(
+                        struct_span_err!(
                             self.tcx.sess, item.span, E0117,
-                            "the impl does not reference any \
-                             types defined in this crate; \
-                             only traits defined in the current crate can be \
-                             implemented for arbitrary types");
+                             "only traits defined in the current crate can be \
+                             implemented for arbitrary types")
+                        .span_label(item.span, &format!("impl doesn't use types inside crate"))
+                        .note(&format!("the impl does not reference any \
+                                        types defined in this crate"))
+                        .emit();
                         return;
                     }
                     Err(traits::OrphanCheckErr::UncoveredTy(param_ty)) => {
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/E0117.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/E0117.rs
index 16d713bba92ab..e9375e673253f 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/E0117.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/E0117.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 // except according to those terms.
 
 impl Drop for u32 {} //~ ERROR E0117
+//~^ NOTE impl doesn't use types inside crate
+//~| NOTE the impl does not reference any types defined in this crate
 
 fn main() {
 }