diff --git a/doc/runrst b/doc/runrst
--- a/doc/runrst
+++ b/doc/runrst
@@ -13,9 +13,14 @@ where WRITER is the name of a Docutils w
 """
 
 import sys
-from docutils.parsers.rst import roles
-from docutils.core import publish_cmdline
-from docutils import nodes, utils
+try:
+    from docutils.parsers.rst import roles
+    from docutils.core import publish_cmdline
+    from docutils import nodes, utils
+except ImportError:
+    sys.stderr.write("abort: couldn't generate documentation: docutils "
+                     "module is missing\n")
+    sys.exit(-1)
 
 def role_hg(name, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner,
             options={}, content=[]):
diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1713,7 +1713,7 @@ class queue(object):
                     else:
                         text = url.open(self.ui, filename).read()
                 except (OSError, IOError):
-                    raise util.Abort(_("unable to read %s") % filename)
+                    raise util.Abort(_("unable to read file %s") % filename)
                 if not patchname:
                     patchname = normname(os.path.basename(filename))
                 self.check_reserved_name(patchname)
diff --git a/mercurial/dispatch.py b/mercurial/dispatch.py
--- a/mercurial/dispatch.py
+++ b/mercurial/dispatch.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def _dispatch(ui, args):
     try:
         wd = os.getcwd()
     except OSError, e:
-        raise util.Abort(_("error getting current working directory: %s") % 
+        raise util.Abort(_("error getting current working directory: %s") %
                          e.strerror)
     path = cmdutil.findrepo(wd) or ""
     if not path:
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qimport-fail-cleanup.out b/tests/test-mq-qimport-fail-cleanup.out
--- a/tests/test-mq-qimport-fail-cleanup.out
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qimport-fail-cleanup.out
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ adding a
 
 #qimport valid patch followed by invalid patch
 adding b.patch to series file
-abort: unable to read fakepatch
+abort: unable to read file fakepatch
 
 #valid patches before fail added to series
 b.patch
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qimport.out b/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
--- a/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 % qimport non-existing-file
-abort: unable to read non-existing-file
+abort: unable to read file non-existing-file
 % import email
 adding email to series file
 applying email