diff --git a/bin/stty/stty.c b/bin/stty/stty.c
index f6daaf076ad8..b70f49fcad98 100644
--- a/bin/stty/stty.c
+++ b/bin/stty/stty.c
@@ -61,9 +61,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct info i;
 	enum FMT fmt;
 	int ch;
+	const char *file;
 
 	fmt = NOTSET;
 	i.fd = STDIN_FILENO;
+	file = "stdin";
 
 	opterr = 0;
 	while (optind < argc &&
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'f':
 			if ((i.fd = open(optarg, O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK)) < 0)
 				err(1, "%s", optarg);
+			file = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'g':
 			fmt = GFLAG;
@@ -92,7 +95,7 @@ args:	argc -= optind;
 	argv += optind;
 
 	if (tcgetattr(i.fd, &i.t) < 0)
-		errx(1, "stdin isn't a terminal");
+		errx(1, "%s isn't a terminal", file);
 	if (ioctl(i.fd, TIOCGETD, &i.ldisc) < 0)
 		err(1, "TIOCGETD");
 	if (ioctl(i.fd, TIOCGWINSZ, &i.win) < 0)