diff --git a/matlab/disp_moments.m b/matlab/disp_moments.m
index cd819cb99..617fce9d9 100644
--- a/matlab/disp_moments.m
+++ b/matlab/disp_moments.m
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ ivar=zeros(nvar,1);
 for i=1:nvar
     i_tmp = strmatch(var_list{i}, M_.endo_names, 'exact');
     if isempty(i_tmp)
-        error ('One of the variable specified does not exist') ;
+       error('The variable %s specified is not an endogenous variable',var_list{i});
     else
         ivar(i) = i_tmp;
     end