diff --git a/raft/log.go b/raft/log.go
index e171d36ea..b5f0b46c5 100644
--- a/raft/log.go
+++ b/raft/log.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (l *raftLog) commitTo(tocommit uint64) {
 	// never decrease commit
 	if l.committed < tocommit {
 		if l.lastIndex() < tocommit {
-			l.logger.Panicf("tocommit(%d) is out of range [lastIndex(%d)]", tocommit, l.lastIndex())
+			l.logger.Panicf("tocommit(%d) is out of range [lastIndex(%d)]. Was the raft log corrupted, truncated, or lost?", tocommit, l.lastIndex())
 		}
 		l.committed = tocommit
 	}