diff --git a/source3/utils/net_ads.c b/source3/utils/net_ads.c
index d565df12892..f4c25e1bf17 100644
--- a/source3/utils/net_ads.c
+++ b/source3/utils/net_ads.c
@@ -1599,6 +1599,11 @@ int net_ads_join(struct net_context *c, int argc, const char **argv)
 			r->out.netbios_domain_name);
 	}
 
+	/* print out informative error string in case there is one */
+	if (r->out.error_string != NULL) {
+		d_printf("%s\n", r->out.error_string);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * We try doing the dns update (if it was compiled in
 	 * and if it was not disabled on the command line).
diff --git a/source3/utils/net_rpc.c b/source3/utils/net_rpc.c
index 93caf046813..1e3e2866ae4 100644
--- a/source3/utils/net_rpc.c
+++ b/source3/utils/net_rpc.c
@@ -428,6 +428,11 @@ static int net_rpc_oldjoin(struct net_context *c, int argc, const char **argv)
 			r->out.netbios_domain_name);
 	}
 
+	/* print out informative error string in case there is one */
+	if (r->out.error_string != NULL) {
+		d_printf("%s\n", r->out.error_string);
+	}
+
 	TALLOC_FREE(mem_ctx);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -607,6 +612,11 @@ static int net_rpc_join_newstyle(struct net_context *c, int argc, const char **a
 			r->out.netbios_domain_name);
 	}
 
+	/* print out informative error string in case there is one */
+	if (r->out.error_string != NULL) {
+		d_printf("%s\n", r->out.error_string);
+	}
+
 	TALLOC_FREE(mem_ctx);
 
 	return 0;