diff --git a/src/base/_foundation.lua b/src/base/_foundation.lua
index 130be76ba..8def17f6d 100644
--- a/src/base/_foundation.lua
+++ b/src/base/_foundation.lua
@@ -245,13 +245,11 @@
 		local compiled_chunk
 		local res = os.locate(fname, with_ext, p5, p4)
 		if res == nil then
-			local caller = filelineinfo(3)
-			premake.error(caller .. ": Cannot find neither " .. table.implode({fname, with_ext, p5, p4}, "", "", " nor "))
+			premake.error("Cannot find neither " .. table.implode({fname, with_ext, p5, p4}, "", "", " nor "))
 		else
 			compiled_chunk, err = loadfile(res)
 			if err ~= nil then
-				local caller = filelineinfo(3)
-				premake.error(caller .. ": Error loading '" .. fname .. ": " .. err)
+				premake.error("Error loading '" .. fname .. ": " .. err)
 			end
 		end
 		return res, compiled_chunk
diff --git a/src/base/api.lua b/src/base/api.lua
index 9fac4ec04..01d82d2b9 100755
--- a/src/base/api.lua
+++ b/src/base/api.lua
@@ -81,11 +81,26 @@
 ---
 
 	function includeexternal(fname)
-		fname, compiled_chunk = p.findProjectScript(fname)
-		local wasIncludingExternal = api._isIncludingExternal
-		api._isIncludingExternal = true
-		compiled_chunk()
-		api._isIncludingExternal = wasIncludingExternal
+		local findOK, foundFnameOrErr, compiled_chunk = pcall(function () return p.findProjectScript(fname) end)
+		if findOK then
+			local wasIncludingExternal = api._isIncludingExternal
+			api._isIncludingExternal = true
+			local callOK, res = pcall(compiled_chunk)
+			api._isIncludingExternal = wasIncludingExternal
+
+			if callOK then
+				-- res is the return value of the script
+				return res
+			else
+				local err = res
+				local caller = filelineinfo(2)
+				premake.error(caller .. ": includeexternal(" .. fname .. ") execution error: " .. err)
+			end
+		else
+			local err = foundFnameOrErr
+			local caller = filelineinfo(2)
+			premake.error(caller .. ": includeexternal(" .. fname .. ") not found or failed to load: " .. err)
+		end
 	end
 
 	p.alias(_G, "includeexternal", "includeExternal")
diff --git a/src/base/globals.lua b/src/base/globals.lua
index d46ca00b6..a4b813ab2 100644
--- a/src/base/globals.lua
+++ b/src/base/globals.lua
@@ -48,18 +48,25 @@
 	io._includedFiles = {}
 
 	function include(fname)
-		local actualFname, compiled_chunk = premake.findProjectScript(fname)
-		if not io._includedFiles[actualFname] then
-			io._includedFiles[actualFname] = true
-			local success, res = pcall(compiled_chunk)
-			if success then
-				-- res is the return value of the script
-				return res
-			else
-				-- res is the error message
-				local caller = filelineinfo(2)
-				premake.error(caller .. ": Error executing '" .. fname .. ": " .. res)
+		local findOK, foundFnameOrErr, compiled_chunk = pcall(function () return premake.findProjectScript(fname) end)
+		if findOK then
+			local actualFname = foundFnameOrErr
+			if not io._includedFiles[actualFname] then
+				io._includedFiles[actualFname] = true
+				local callOK, res = pcall(compiled_chunk)
+				if callOK then
+					-- res is the return value of the script
+					return res
+				else
+					local err = res
+					local caller = filelineinfo(2)
+					premake.error(caller .. ": include(" .. fname .. ") execution error: " .. err)
+				end
 			end
+		else
+			local err = foundFnameOrErr
+			local caller = filelineinfo(2)
+			premake.error(caller .. ": include(" .. fname .. ") not found or failed to load: " .. err)
 		end
 	end