diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index 4d1a5e0d5..400515ee6 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ includedirectivep = do
       either
         (throwError
           . ((show parentpos ++ " in included file " ++ show filename ++ ":\n") ++)
-          . show)
+          . parseErrorPretty)
         (return . journalAddFile (filepath, txt))
         ej1
   case ej of