diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/copy.go b/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
index 80742600..41e96ff6 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func (opts *copyOptions) run(args []string, stdout io.Writer) (retErr error) {
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		if err := policyContext.Destroy(); err != nil {
-			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "error tearing down policy context", err)
+			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "tearing down policy context", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/inspect.go b/cmd/skopeo/inspect.go
index e5bee9a4..b28eb899 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/inspect.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/inspect.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (opts *inspectOptions) run(args []string, stdout io.Writer) (retErr error)
 
 	defer func() {
 		if err := src.Close(); err != nil {
-			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "could not close image", err)
+			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "closing image", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/layers.go b/cmd/skopeo/layers.go
index 1f878869..bceb6f71 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/layers.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/layers.go
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ func (opts *layersOptions) run(args []string, stdout io.Writer) (retErr error) {
 		return err
 	}, opts.retryOpts); err != nil {
 		if closeErr := rawSource.Close(); closeErr != nil {
-			return errors.Wrapf(err, " (close error: %v)", closeErr)
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, " (closing image source: %v)", closeErr)
 		}
 
 		return err
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		if err := src.Close(); err != nil {
-			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "close error", err)
+			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "closing image", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (opts *layersOptions) run(args []string, stdout io.Writer) (retErr error) {
 
 	defer func() {
 		if err := dest.Close(); err != nil {
-			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "close error", err)
+			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "closing destination", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/sync.go b/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
index 0772ba43..9bcdc382 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/sync.go
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ func (opts *syncOptions) run(args []string, stdout io.Writer) (retErr error) {
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		if err := policyContext.Destroy(); err != nil {
-			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "error tearing down policy context", err)
+			retErr = noteCloseFailure(retErr, "tearing down policy context", err)
 		}
 	}()