diff --git a/sstable/colblk_writer.go b/sstable/colblk_writer.go
index 5e35eb4740..83360bce5b 100644
--- a/sstable/colblk_writer.go
+++ b/sstable/colblk_writer.go
@@ -534,8 +534,13 @@ func (w *RawColumnWriter) evaluatePoint(
 
 	if !w.disableKeyOrderChecks && (eval.kcmp.UserKeyComparison < 0 ||
 		(eval.kcmp.UserKeyComparison == 0 && w.prevPointKey.trailer <= key.Trailer)) {
+		previousKey := base.InternalKey{
+			UserKey: w.dataBlock.MaterializeLastUserKey(nil),
+			Trailer: w.prevPointKey.trailer,
+		}
 		return eval, errors.Errorf(
-			"pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: %s",
+			"pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: %s, %s",
+			previousKey.Pretty(w.comparer.FormatKey),
 			key.Pretty(w.comparer.FormatKey))
 	}
 
diff --git a/sstable/testdata/writer_v5 b/sstable/testdata/writer_v5
index f825bdb95c..ba21bae17e 100644
--- a/sstable/testdata/writer_v5
+++ b/sstable/testdata/writer_v5
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ build
 a.SET.1:b
 a.SET.2:c
 ----
-pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: a#2,SET
+pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: a#1,SET, a#2,SET
 
 build
 b.SET.1:a
 a.SET.2:b
 ----
-pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: a#2,SET
+pebble: keys must be added in strictly increasing order: b#1,SET, a#2,SET
 
 build
 b.RANGEDEL.1:c