diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 873a300..5cb2644 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -292,5 +292,11 @@
             <version>1.0.16</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>commons-lang</groupId>
+            <artifactId>commons-lang</artifactId>
+            <version>2.6</version>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/jcr/repoinit/RepositoryInitializerTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/jcr/repoinit/RepositoryInitializerTest.java
index bbbf605..55b5d26 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/jcr/repoinit/RepositoryInitializerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/jcr/repoinit/RepositoryInitializerTest.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.exception.ExceptionUtils;
 import org.apache.sling.jcr.api.SlingRepository;
 import org.apache.sling.jcr.repoinit.impl.JcrRepoInitOpsProcessorImpl;
 import org.apache.sling.jcr.repoinit.impl.RepoinitTextProvider.TextFormat;
@@ -134,14 +135,20 @@
             initializer.processRepository(context.getService(SlingRepository.class));
         } catch(Exception e) {
             if(expectedActivateException != null) {
-                assertEquals(expectedActivateException, e.getClass());
+                assertEquals(
+                    "Expecting a " + expectedActivateException.getName() + " but got " + withStackTrace(e),
+                    expectedActivateException, e.getClass());
             } else {
-                fail("Got unexpected " + e.getClass().getName() + " in activation");
+                fail("Unexpected Exception in activation: " + withStackTrace(e));
             }
         }
 
     }
 
+    public static String withStackTrace(Throwable t) {
+        return t.toString() + "\n" + ExceptionUtils.getStackTrace(t);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testLogin() throws Exception {
         if(testLogin) {