diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
index 702b2291ed..7d0bb38926 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
@@ -1263,8 +1263,9 @@ static void dbRecordAlias(char *name)
     pdbentry = ptempListNode->item;
     status = dbCreateAlias(pdbentry, name);
     if (status) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Can't create alias \"%s\" for \"%s\"\n",
-                    name, dbGetRecordName(pdbentry));
+        fprintf(stderr, "Can't create alias \"%s\" for \"%s\"%s\n",
+                    name, dbGetRecordName(pdbentry),
+                    status == S_dbLib_recExists ? ", name already used" : "");
         yyerror(NULL);
         return;
     }
@@ -1274,6 +1275,7 @@ static void dbAlias(char *name, char *alias)
 {
     DBENTRY dbEntry;
     DBENTRY *pdbEntry = &dbEntry;
+    long status;
 
     if(dbRecordNameValidate(alias) || dbRecordNameValidate(name))
         return;
@@ -1284,9 +1286,10 @@ static void dbAlias(char *name, char *alias)
                     alias, name);
         yyerror(NULL);
     }
-    else if (dbCreateAlias(pdbEntry, alias)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Can't create alias \"%s\" referring to \"%s\"\n",
-                    alias, name);
+    else if ((status = dbCreateAlias(pdbEntry, alias))) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Can't create alias \"%s\" referring to \"%s\%s"\n",
+                    alias, name
+                    status == S_dbLib_recExists ? ", name already used" : "");
         yyerror(NULL);
     }
     dbFinishEntry(pdbEntry);