diff --git a/init/builtins.cpp b/init/builtins.cpp
index 848dfdb..27b72f9 100644
--- a/init/builtins.cpp
+++ b/init/builtins.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,12 @@
 }
 
 static int do_domainname(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
-    return write_file("/proc/sys/kernel/domainname", args[1]) ? 0 : 1;
+    std::string err;
+    if (!WriteFile("/proc/sys/kernel/domainname", args[1], &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int do_enable(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
@@ -174,7 +179,12 @@
 }
 
 static int do_hostname(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
-    return write_file("/proc/sys/kernel/hostname", args[1]) ? 0 : 1;
+    std::string err;
+    if (!WriteFile("/proc/sys/kernel/hostname", args[1], &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int do_ifup(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
@@ -651,15 +661,26 @@
 }
 
 static int do_write(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
-    return write_file(args[1], args[2]) ? 0 : 1;
+    std::string err;
+    if (!WriteFile(args[1], args[2], &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int do_copy(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
     std::string data;
-    if (read_file(args[1], &data)) {
-        return write_file(args[2], data) ? 0 : 1;
+    std::string err;
+    if (!ReadFile(args[1], &data, &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
+        return -1;
     }
-    return 1;
+    if (!WriteFile(args[2], data, &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int do_chown(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
diff --git a/init/init.cpp b/init/init.cpp
index 52f6b0c..b5f97e5 100644
--- a/init/init.cpp
+++ b/init/init.cpp
@@ -853,7 +853,9 @@
             }
         }
 
-        if (!write_file("/sys/fs/selinux/checkreqprot", "0")) {
+        std::string err;
+        if (!WriteFile("/sys/fs/selinux/checkreqprot", "0", &err)) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << err;
             security_failure();
         }
 
diff --git a/init/init_parser.cpp b/init/init_parser.cpp
index 620367a..1b31cf2 100644
--- a/init/init_parser.cpp
+++ b/init/init_parser.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@
     LOG(INFO) << "Parsing file " << path << "...";
     Timer t;
     std::string data;
-    if (!read_file(path, &data)) {
+    std::string err;
+    if (!ReadFile(path, &data, &err)) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << err;
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/init/init_test.cpp b/init/init_test.cpp
index 3da14b5..7093ba9 100644
--- a/init/init_test.cpp
+++ b/init/init_test.cpp
@@ -152,10 +152,11 @@
                                "on boot\n"
                                "execute 3";
     // clang-format on
-    // write_file() ensures the right mode is set
-    ASSERT_TRUE(write_file(std::string(dir.path) + "/a.rc", dir_a_script));
+    // WriteFile() ensures the right mode is set
+    std::string err;
+    ASSERT_TRUE(WriteFile(std::string(dir.path) + "/a.rc", dir_a_script, &err));
 
-    ASSERT_TRUE(write_file(std::string(dir.path) + "/b.rc", "on boot\nexecute 5"));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(WriteFile(std::string(dir.path) + "/b.rc", "on boot\nexecute 5", &err));
 
     // clang-format off
     std::string start_script = "import " + std::string(first_import.path) + "\n"
diff --git a/init/property_service.cpp b/init/property_service.cpp
index 6f40d1c..e01cd0b 100644
--- a/init/property_service.cpp
+++ b/init/property_service.cpp
@@ -510,8 +510,9 @@
 static void load_properties_from_file(const char* filename, const char* filter) {
     Timer t;
     std::string data;
-    if (!read_file(filename, &data)) {
-        PLOG(WARNING) << "Couldn't load properties from " << filename;
+    std::string err;
+    if (!ReadFile(filename, &data, &err)) {
+        PLOG(WARNING) << "Couldn't load property file: " << err;
         return;
     }
     data.push_back('\n');
diff --git a/init/util.cpp b/init/util.cpp
index 4df0c25..e7f724b 100644
--- a/init/util.cpp
+++ b/init/util.cpp
@@ -151,12 +151,14 @@
     return -1;
 }
 
-bool read_file(const std::string& path, std::string* content) {
+bool ReadFile(const std::string& path, std::string* content, std::string* err) {
     content->clear();
+    *err = "";
 
     android::base::unique_fd fd(
         TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY(open(path.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NOFOLLOW | O_CLOEXEC)));
     if (fd == -1) {
+        *err = "Unable to open '" + path + "': " + strerror(errno);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -164,29 +166,35 @@
     // or group-writable files.
     struct stat sb;
     if (fstat(fd, &sb) == -1) {
-        PLOG(ERROR) << "fstat failed for '" << path << "'";
+        *err = "fstat failed for '" + path + "': " + strerror(errno);
         return false;
     }
     if ((sb.st_mode & (S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH)) != 0) {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "skipping insecure file '" << path << "'";
+        *err = "Skipping insecure file '" + path + "'";
         return false;
     }
 
-    return android::base::ReadFdToString(fd, content);
+    if (!android::base::ReadFdToString(fd, content)) {
+        *err = "Unable to read '" + path + "': " + strerror(errno);
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
 }
 
-bool write_file(const std::string& path, const std::string& content) {
+bool WriteFile(const std::string& path, const std::string& content, std::string* err) {
+    *err = "";
+
     android::base::unique_fd fd(TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY(
         open(path.c_str(), O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_NOFOLLOW | O_TRUNC | O_CLOEXEC, 0600)));
     if (fd == -1) {
-        PLOG(ERROR) << "write_file: Unable to open '" << path << "'";
+        *err = "Unable to open '" + path + "': " + strerror(errno);
         return false;
     }
-    bool success = android::base::WriteStringToFd(content, fd);
-    if (!success) {
-        PLOG(ERROR) << "write_file: Unable to write to '" << path << "'";
+    if (!android::base::WriteStringToFd(content, fd)) {
+        *err = "Unable to write to '" + path + "': " + strerror(errno);
+        return false;
     }
-    return success;
+    return true;
 }
 
 int mkdir_recursive(const std::string& path, mode_t mode, selabel_handle* sehandle) {
diff --git a/init/util.h b/init/util.h
index 4957f15..4c33909 100644
--- a/init/util.h
+++ b/init/util.h
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
 int create_socket(const char* name, int type, mode_t perm, uid_t uid, gid_t gid,
                   const char* socketcon, selabel_handle* sehandle);
 
-bool read_file(const std::string& path, std::string* content);
-bool write_file(const std::string& path, const std::string& content);
+bool ReadFile(const std::string& path, std::string* content, std::string* err);
+bool WriteFile(const std::string& path, const std::string& content, std::string* err);
 
 class Timer {
   public:
diff --git a/init/util_test.cpp b/init/util_test.cpp
index a24185b..4bb8a83 100644
--- a/init/util_test.cpp
+++ b/init/util_test.cpp
@@ -24,53 +24,67 @@
 #include <android-base/test_utils.h>
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
-TEST(util, read_file_ENOENT) {
-  std::string s("hello");
-  errno = 0;
-  EXPECT_FALSE(read_file("/proc/does-not-exist", &s));
-  EXPECT_EQ(ENOENT, errno);
-  EXPECT_EQ("", s); // s was cleared.
+using namespace std::literals::string_literals;
+
+TEST(util, ReadFile_ENOENT) {
+    std::string s("hello");
+    std::string err;
+    errno = 0;
+    EXPECT_FALSE(ReadFile("/proc/does-not-exist", &s, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("Unable to open '/proc/does-not-exist': No such file or directory", err);
+    EXPECT_EQ(ENOENT, errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", s);  // s was cleared.
 }
 
-TEST(util, read_file_group_writeable) {
+TEST(util, ReadFileGroupWriteable) {
     std::string s("hello");
     TemporaryFile tf;
+    std::string err;
     ASSERT_TRUE(tf.fd != -1);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(tf.path, s)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(tf.path, s, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_NE(-1, fchmodat(AT_FDCWD, tf.path, 0620, AT_SYMLINK_NOFOLLOW)) << strerror(errno);
-    EXPECT_FALSE(read_file(tf.path, &s)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(ReadFile(tf.path, &s, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("Skipping insecure file '"s + tf.path + "'", err);
     EXPECT_EQ("", s);  // s was cleared.
 }
 
-TEST(util, read_file_world_writeable) {
+TEST(util, ReadFileWorldWiteable) {
     std::string s("hello");
     TemporaryFile tf;
+    std::string err;
     ASSERT_TRUE(tf.fd != -1);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(tf.path, s.c_str())) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(tf.path, s, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_NE(-1, fchmodat(AT_FDCWD, tf.path, 0602, AT_SYMLINK_NOFOLLOW)) << strerror(errno);
-    EXPECT_FALSE(read_file(tf.path, &s)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(ReadFile(tf.path, &s, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("Skipping insecure file '"s + tf.path + "'", err);
     EXPECT_EQ("", s);  // s was cleared.
 }
 
-TEST(util, read_file_symbolic_link) {
+TEST(util, ReadFileSymbolicLink) {
     std::string s("hello");
     errno = 0;
     // lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 1970-01-01 00:00 charger -> /sbin/healthd
-    EXPECT_FALSE(read_file("/charger", &s));
+    std::string err;
+    EXPECT_FALSE(ReadFile("/charger", &s, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("Unable to open '/charger': Too many symbolic links encountered", err);
     EXPECT_EQ(ELOOP, errno);
     EXPECT_EQ("", s);  // s was cleared.
 }
 
-TEST(util, read_file_success) {
-  std::string s("hello");
-  EXPECT_TRUE(read_file("/proc/version", &s));
-  EXPECT_GT(s.length(), 6U);
-  EXPECT_EQ('\n', s[s.length() - 1]);
-  s[5] = 0;
-  EXPECT_STREQ("Linux", s.c_str());
+TEST(util, ReadFileSuccess) {
+    std::string s("hello");
+    std::string err;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(ReadFile("/proc/version", &s, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_GT(s.length(), 6U);
+    EXPECT_EQ('\n', s[s.length() - 1]);
+    s[5] = 0;
+    EXPECT_STREQ("Linux", s.c_str());
 }
 
-TEST(util, write_file_binary) {
+TEST(util, WriteFileBinary) {
     std::string contents("abcd");
     contents.push_back('\0');
     contents.push_back('\0');
@@ -78,22 +92,28 @@
     ASSERT_EQ(10u, contents.size());
 
     TemporaryFile tf;
+    std::string err;
     ASSERT_TRUE(tf.fd != -1);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(tf.path, contents)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(tf.path, contents, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
 
     std::string read_back_contents;
-    EXPECT_TRUE(read_file(tf.path, &read_back_contents)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(ReadFile(tf.path, &read_back_contents, &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_EQ(contents, read_back_contents);
     EXPECT_EQ(10u, read_back_contents.size());
 }
 
-TEST(util, write_file_not_exist) {
+TEST(util, WriteFileNotExist) {
     std::string s("hello");
     std::string s2("hello");
     TemporaryDir test_dir;
     std::string path = android::base::StringPrintf("%s/does-not-exist", test_dir.path);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(path, s));
-    EXPECT_TRUE(read_file(path, &s2));
+    std::string err;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(path, s, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(ReadFile(path, &s2, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_EQ(s, s2);
     struct stat sb;
     int fd = open(path.c_str(), O_RDONLY | O_NOFOLLOW | O_CLOEXEC);
@@ -103,15 +123,20 @@
     EXPECT_EQ(0, unlink(path.c_str()));
 }
 
-TEST(util, write_file_exist) {
+TEST(util, WriteFileExist) {
     std::string s2("");
     TemporaryFile tf;
     ASSERT_TRUE(tf.fd != -1);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(tf.path, "1hello1")) << strerror(errno);
-    EXPECT_TRUE(read_file(tf.path, &s2));
+    std::string err;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(tf.path, "1hello1", &err)) << strerror(errno);
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(ReadFile(tf.path, &s2, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_STREQ("1hello1", s2.c_str());
-    EXPECT_TRUE(write_file(tf.path, "2ll2"));
-    EXPECT_TRUE(read_file(tf.path, &s2));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(WriteFile(tf.path, "2ll2", &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(ReadFile(tf.path, &s2, &err));
+    EXPECT_EQ("", err);
     EXPECT_STREQ("2ll2", s2.c_str());
 }