diff --git a/include/boost/archive/basic_text_iprimitive.hpp b/include/boost/archive/basic_text_iprimitive.hpp
index 606f59f58..50c66f5d4 100644
--- a/include/boost/archive/basic_text_iprimitive.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/archive/basic_text_iprimitive.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include <locale>
 #include <cstddef> // size_t
+#include <stdio.h> // snprintf
 
 #include <boost/config.hpp>
 #if defined(BOOST_NO_STDC_NAMESPACE)
@@ -86,11 +87,17 @@ class BOOST_SYMBOL_VISIBLE basic_text_iprimitive {
     template<class T>
     void load(T & t)
     {
+        auto pos = is.tellg();
         if(is >> t)
             return;
+        char at_offset[64] = "at offset ";
+        if (std::streampos(-1) == pos)
+            snprintf&at_offset[10], 54, "%s", "<unknown>");
+        else
+            snprintf(&at_offset[10], 54, "%d", static_cast<std::streamoff>(pos));
         boost::serialization::throw_exception(
-            archive_exception(archive_exception::input_stream_error)
-        );
+            archive_exception(archive_exception::input_stream_error, at_offset)
+            );
     }
 
     void load(char & t)