diff --git a/reference/reference.go b/reference/reference.go
index 3c0a80d0..cd768f19 100644
--- a/reference/reference.go
+++ b/reference/reference.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ type Canonical interface {
 func ParseNamed(s string) (Named, error) {
 	named, err := distreference.ParseNamed(s)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing reference: %q is not a valid repository/tag", s)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing reference: %q is not a valid repository/tag: %s", s, err.Error())
 	}
 	r, err := WithName(named.Name())
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/signature/policy_config.go b/signature/policy_config.go
index f4af51d4..fd634783 100644
--- a/signature/policy_config.go
+++ b/signature/policy_config.go
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ func (kt *sbKeyType) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 // newPRSignedBaseLayer is NewPRSignedBaseLayer, except it returns the private type.
 func newPRSignedBaseLayer(baseLayerIdentity PolicyReferenceMatch) (*prSignedBaseLayer, error) {
 	if baseLayerIdentity == nil {
-		return nil, InvalidPolicyFormatError("baseLayerIdenitty not specified")
+		return nil, InvalidPolicyFormatError("baseLayerIdentity not specified")
 	}
 	return &prSignedBaseLayer{
 		prCommon:          prCommon{Type: prTypeSignedBaseLayer},