diff --git a/src/cli/types.rs b/src/cli/types.rs
index 6a819168..0b02cc37 100644
--- a/src/cli/types.rs
+++ b/src/cli/types.rs
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ pub trait ClapData {
 /// read within a certain amount of time.
 pub struct StdinWarning {
     do_warn: bool,
-    warning: &'static str,
+    /// The thing that is being waited for.  See `StdinWarning::emit`.
+    thing: &'static str,
 }
 
 /// Print a warning if we don't get any input after this amount of
@@ -96,28 +97,27 @@ const STDIN_TIMEOUT: Duration = std::time::Duration::new(2, 0);
 
 impl StdinWarning {
     /// Emit a custom warning if no input is received.
-    pub fn warn(warning: &'static str) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(thing: &'static str) -> Self {
         Self {
             do_warn: true,
-            warning,
+            thing,
         }
     }
 
-    /// Emit a standard warning if no input is received.
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
-        Self::warn("Waiting for input on stdin...")
-    }
-
     /// Emit a warning that a certificate is expected if no input is
     /// received.
     pub fn openpgp() -> Self {
-        Self::warn("Waiting for OpenPGP data on stdin...")
+        Self::new("OpenPGP data")
     }
 
     /// Emit a warning that certificates are expected if no input is
     /// received.
     pub fn certs() -> Self {
-        Self::warn("Waiting for certificates on stdin...")
+        Self::new("OpenPGP certificates")
+    }
+
+    pub fn emit(&self) {
+        eprintln!("Waiting for {} on stdin...", self.thing);
     }
 }
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ impl Read for StdinWarning {
                     if let Err(mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Timeout)
                         = receiver.recv_timeout(STDIN_TIMEOUT)
                     {
-                        eprintln!("{}", self.warning);
+                        self.emit();
                     }
                 });
 
@@ -215,14 +215,20 @@ impl FileOrStdin {
     /// Get a boxed BufferedReader for the FileOrStdin
     ///
     /// Opens a file if there is Some(PathBuf), else opens stdin.
-    pub fn open<'a>(&self) -> Result<Box<dyn BufferedReader<Cookie> + 'a>> {
+    ///
+    /// `thing` is the thing that we expect to read, e.g., "OpenPGP
+    /// certificates" or "a signed message".
+    pub fn open<'a>(&self, thing: &'static str)
+        -> Result<Box<dyn BufferedReader<Cookie> + 'a>>
+    {
         if let Some(path) = self.inner() {
             Ok(Box::new(
                 File::with_cookie(path, Default::default())
                 .with_context(|| format!("Failed to open {}", self))?))
         } else {
             Ok(Box::new(
-                Generic::with_cookie(StdinWarning::new(), None, Default::default())))
+                Generic::with_cookie(
+                    StdinWarning::new(thing), None, Default::default())))
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/commands/cert/import.rs b/src/commands/cert/import.rs
index bb04f8e8..96f2406a 100644
--- a/src/commands/cert/import.rs
+++ b/src/commands/cert/import.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ where 'store: 'rstore
     let inner = || -> Result<()> {
         for input in inputs.into_iter() {
             let input = FileOrStdin::from(input);
-            let mut input_reader = input.open()?;
+            let mut input_reader = input.open("OpenPGP certificates")?;
 
             if input_reader.eof() {
                 // Empty file.  Silently skip it.
diff --git a/src/commands/decrypt.rs b/src/commands/decrypt.rs
index 5dac323d..f0e2dc36 100644
--- a/src/commands/decrypt.rs
+++ b/src/commands/decrypt.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ use crate::{
 pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::decrypt::Command) -> Result<()> {
     tracer!(TRACE, "decrypt::dispatch");
 
-    let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+    let mut input = command.input.open("an encrypted message")?;
     let mut output = command.output.create_safe(&sq)?;
 
     let signers =
diff --git a/src/commands/encrypt.rs b/src/commands/encrypt.rs
index b65e5be8..0d8e5238 100644
--- a/src/commands/encrypt.rs
+++ b/src/commands/encrypt.rs
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ pub fn encrypt<'a, 'b: 'a>(
         .context("Failed to create literal writer")?;
 
     // Finally, copy stdin to our writer stack to encrypt the data.
-    io::copy(&mut input.open()?, &mut writer_stack)
+    io::copy(&mut input.open("data to encrypt")?, &mut writer_stack)
         .context("Failed to encrypt")?;
 
     writer_stack.finalize().context("Failed to encrypt")?;
diff --git a/src/commands/inspect.rs b/src/commands/inspect.rs
index b9f5c550..f1dd65b0 100644
--- a/src/commands/inspect.rs
+++ b/src/commands/inspect.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(mut sq: Sq, c: inspect::Command)
             }
         }
 
-        inspect(&mut sq, input.open()?,
+        inspect(&mut sq, input.open("OpenPGP or autocrypt data")?,
                 Some(&input.to_string()), output,
                 print_certifications, dump_bad_signatures)?;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/commands/keyring.rs b/src/commands/keyring.rs
index 26754b42..ec0dec05 100644
--- a/src/commands/keyring.rs
+++ b/src/commands/keyring.rs
@@ -158,11 +158,11 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, c: keyring::Command) -> Result<()> {
         Merge(c) =>
             merge(&sq, c.input, c.output, false),
         List(c) => {
-            let mut input = c.input.open()?;
+            let mut input = c.input.open("OpenPGP certificates")?;
             list(sq, &mut input, c.all_userids)
         },
         Split(c) => {
-            let mut input = c.input.open()?;
+            let mut input = c.input.open("OpenPGP certificates")?;
             let prefix =
             // The prefix is either specified explicitly...
                 c.prefix.unwrap_or(
diff --git a/src/commands/packet.rs b/src/commands/packet.rs
index b84e5249..d8f5c312 100644
--- a/src/commands/packet.rs
+++ b/src/commands/packet.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: Command)
                         }
                 }
 
-                Box::new(command.input.open()?)
+                Box::new(command.input.open("OpenPGP packets")?)
                     as Box<dyn io::Read + Send + Sync>
             } else {
                 let cert = sq.resolve_cert(&command.cert, 0)?.0;
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: Command)
         },
 
         Subcommands::Decrypt(command) => {
-            let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+            let mut input = command.input.open("an encrypted message")?;
             let mut output = command.output.create_pgp_safe(
                 &sq,
                 command.binary,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: Command)
 
 pub fn split(sq: Sq, c: SplitCommand) -> Result<()>
 {
-    let input = c.input.open()?;
+    let input = c.input.open("OpenPGP packets")?;
 
     // If --binary is given, the user has to provide a prefix.
     assert!(! c.binary || c.prefix.is_some(),
diff --git a/src/commands/packet/armor.rs b/src/commands/packet/armor.rs
index 13df8216..1b8cac79 100644
--- a/src/commands/packet/armor.rs
+++ b/src/commands/packet/armor.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::packet::armor::Command)
 {
     tracer!(TRACE, "armor::dispatch");
 
-    let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+    let mut input = command.input.open("the data to encode")?;
     let mut want_kind: Option<armor::Kind>
         = command.kind.into();
 
diff --git a/src/commands/packet/dearmor.rs b/src/commands/packet/dearmor.rs
index 0b37e432..4b4f30d2 100644
--- a/src/commands/packet/dearmor.rs
+++ b/src/commands/packet/dearmor.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::packet::dearmor::Command)
 {
     tracer!(TRACE, "dearmor::dispatch");
 
-    let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+    let mut input = command.input.open("the OpenPGP data")?;
     let mut output = command.output.create_safe(&sq)?;
     let mut filter = armor::Reader::from_buffered_reader(&mut input, None)?;
     io::copy(&mut filter, &mut output)?;
diff --git a/src/commands/sign.rs b/src/commands/sign.rs
index f788b698..9c2aa20d 100644
--- a/src/commands/sign.rs
+++ b/src/commands/sign.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ use merge_signatures::merge_signatures;
 pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::sign::Command) -> Result<()> {
     tracer!(TRACE, "sign::dispatch");
 
-    let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+    let mut input = command.input.open("the data to sign")?;
     let output = &command.output;
     let detached = command.detached;
     let binary = command.binary;
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::sign::Command) -> Result<()> {
             armor::Kind::Message,
         )?;
         let data: FileOrStdin = merge.into();
-        let mut input2 = data.open()?;
+        let mut input2 = data.open("OpenPGP signatures")?;
         return merge_signatures(&mut input, &mut input2, output);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/commands/verify.rs b/src/commands/verify.rs
index 5efba906..20950596 100644
--- a/src/commands/verify.rs
+++ b/src/commands/verify.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn dispatch(sq: Sq, command: cli::verify::Command)
 {
     tracer!(TRACE, "verify::dispatch");
 
-    let mut input = command.input.open()?;
+    let mut input = command.input.open("a signed message")?;
     let mut output = command.output.create_safe(&sq)?;
     let signatures = command.signatures;
 
diff --git a/src/sq.rs b/src/sq.rs
index 2e74e98e..5173a607 100644
--- a/src/sq.rs
+++ b/src/sq.rs
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ impl<'store: 'rstore, 'rstore> Sq<'store, 'rstore> {
         for handle in handles {
             let (kh, mut certs) = match handle.into() {
                 FileStdinOrKeyHandle::FileOrStdin(file) => {
-                    let br = file.open()?;
+                    let br = file.open("an OpenPGP certificate")?;
                     let cert = Cert::from_buffered_reader(br)?;
                     (cert.key_handle(), vec![ cert ])
                 }