diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/events/event.go b/pkg/kubelet/events/event.go
index 12740573811..6ec06a2ee99 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/events/event.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/events/event.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ const (
 	FailedUnmapDevice                    = "FailedUnmapDevice"
 	WarnAlreadyMountedVolume             = "AlreadyMountedVolume"
 	SuccessfulDetachVolume               = "SuccessfulDetachVolume"
+	SuccessfulAttachVolume               = "SuccessfulAttachVolume"
 	SuccessfulMountVolume                = "SuccessfulMountVolume"
 	SuccessfulUnMountVolume              = "SuccessfulUnMountVolume"
 	HostPortConflict                     = "HostPortConflict"
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/volume_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/volume_manager.go
index d3e7711407b..88027ce5fb3 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/volume_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/volumemanager/volume_manager.go
@@ -357,21 +357,38 @@ func (vm *volumeManager) WaitForAttachAndMount(pod *v1.Pod) error {
 		// Timeout expired
 		unmountedVolumes :=
 			vm.getUnmountedVolumes(uniquePodName, expectedVolumes)
+		// Also get unattached volumes for error message
+		unattachedVolumes :=
+			vm.getUnattachedVolumes(expectedVolumes)
+
 		if len(unmountedVolumes) == 0 {
 			return nil
 		}
 
 		return fmt.Errorf(
-			"timeout expired waiting for volumes to attach/mount for pod %q/%q. list of unattached/unmounted volumes=%v",
+			"timeout expired waiting for volumes to attach or mount for pod %q/%q. list of unmounted volumes=%v. list of unattached volumes=%v",
 			pod.Namespace,
 			pod.Name,
-			unmountedVolumes)
+			unmountedVolumes,
+			unattachedVolumes)
 	}
 
 	glog.V(3).Infof("All volumes are attached and mounted for pod %q", format.Pod(pod))
 	return nil
 }
 
+// getUnattachedVolumes returns a list of the volumes that are expected to be attached but
+// are not currently attached to the node
+func (vm *volumeManager) getUnattachedVolumes(expectedVolumes []string) []string {
+	unattachedVolumes := []string{}
+	for _, volume := range expectedVolumes {
+		if !vm.actualStateOfWorld.VolumeExists(v1.UniqueVolumeName(volume)) {
+			unattachedVolumes = append(unattachedVolumes, volume)
+		}
+	}
+	return unattachedVolumes
+}
+
 // verifyVolumesMountedFunc returns a method that returns true when all expected
 // volumes are mounted.
 func (vm *volumeManager) verifyVolumesMountedFunc(podName types.UniquePodName, expectedVolumes []string) wait.ConditionFunc {
diff --git a/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go b/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
index a322ed4ca3d..2353e12615f 100644
--- a/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
+++ b/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
@@ -325,6 +325,11 @@ func (og *operationGenerator) GenerateAttachVolumeFunc(
 			return volumeToAttach.GenerateError("AttachVolume.Attach failed", attachErr)
 		}
 
+		// Successful attach event is useful for user debugging
+		simpleMsg, _ := volumeToAttach.GenerateMsg("AttachVolume.Attach succeeded", "")
+		for _, pod := range volumeToAttach.ScheduledPods {
+			og.recorder.Eventf(pod, v1.EventTypeNormal, kevents.SuccessfulAttachVolume, simpleMsg)
+		}
 		glog.Infof(volumeToAttach.GenerateMsgDetailed("AttachVolume.Attach succeeded", ""))
 
 		// Update actual state of world