}
 
        if (c->main_lebs < UBIFS_MIN_MAIN_LEBS) {
-               err = 7;
+               ubifs_err("too few main LEBs count %d, must be at least %d",
+                         c->main_lebs, UBIFS_MIN_MAIN_LEBS);
                goto failed;
        }
 
-       if (c->max_bud_bytes < (long long)c->leb_size * UBIFS_MIN_BUD_LEBS ||
-           c->max_bud_bytes > (long long)c->leb_size * c->main_lebs) {
-               err = 8;
+       max_bytes = (long long)c->leb_size * UBIFS_MIN_BUD_LEBS;
+       if (c->max_bud_bytes < max_bytes) {
+               ubifs_err("too small journal (%lld bytes), must be at least "
+                         "%lld bytes",  c->max_bud_bytes, max_bytes);
+               goto failed;
+       }
+
+       max_bytes = (long long)c->leb_size * c->main_lebs;
+       if (c->max_bud_bytes > max_bytes) {
+               ubifs_err("too large journal size (%lld bytes), only %lld bytes"
+                         "available in the main area",
+                         c->max_bud_bytes, max_bytes);
                goto failed;
        }
 
                goto failed;
        }
 
-       max_bytes = c->main_lebs * (long long)c->leb_size;
        if (c->rp_size < 0 || max_bytes < c->rp_size) {
                err = 14;
                goto failed;