diff --git a/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js b/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
index 5923256..bb903ad 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
@@ -514,15 +514,20 @@ define([
         }
     };
     
+    var ajax_error_msg = function (jqXHR) {
+        // Return a JSON error message if there is one,
+        // otherwise the basic HTTP status text.
+        if (jqXHR.responseJSON && jqXHR.responseJSON.message) {
+            return jqXHR.responseJSON.message;
+        } else {
+            return jqXHR.statusText;
+        }
+    }
     var log_ajax_error = function (jqXHR, status, error) {
         // log ajax failures with informative messages
         var msg = "API request failed (" + jqXHR.status + "): ";
         console.log(jqXHR);
-        if (jqXHR.responseJSON && jqXHR.responseJSON.message) {
-            msg += jqXHR.responseJSON.message;
-        } else {
-            msg += jqXHR.statusText;
-        }
+        msg += ajax_error_msg(jqXHR);
         console.log(msg);
     };
 
@@ -547,6 +552,7 @@ define([
         platform: platform,
         is_or_has : is_or_has,
         is_focused : is_focused,
+        ajax_error_msg : ajax_error_msg,
         log_ajax_error : log_ajax_error,
     };
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
index b4bf734..e22fd51 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
@@ -2286,17 +2286,14 @@ define([
      */
     Notebook.prototype.load_notebook_error = function (xhr, status, error) {
         this.events.trigger('notebook_load_failed.Notebook', [xhr, status, error]);
+        utils.log_ajax_error(xhr, status, error);
         var msg;
         if (xhr.status === 400) {
-            if (xhr.responseJSON && xhr.responseJSON.message) {
-                msg = escape(xhr.responseJSON.message);
-            } else {
-                msg = escape(error);
-            }
+            msg = escape(utils.ajax_error_msg(xhr));
         } else if (xhr.status === 500) {
             msg = "An unknown error occurred while loading this notebook. " +
             "This version can load notebook formats " +
-            "v" + this.nbformat + " or earlier.";
+            "v" + this.nbformat + " or earlier. See the server log for details.";
         }
         dialog.modal({
             notebook: this,