diff --git a/pkg/lint/recipe.go b/pkg/lint/recipe.go
index 1462fa83..4f7f5e24 100644
--- a/pkg/lint/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/lint/recipe.go
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/plumbing"
 )
 
-var Warn = "warn"
-var Critical = "critical"
+var (
+	Warn     = "warn"
+	Critical = "critical"
+)
 
 type LintFunction func(recipe.Recipe) (bool, error)
 
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ func LintForErrors(recipe recipe.Recipe) error {
 
 			ok, err := rule.Function(recipe)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return fmt.Errorf("lint %s: %s", rule.Ref, err)
 			}
 			if !ok {
 				return fmt.Errorf("lint error in %s configs: \"%s\" failed lint checks (%s)", recipe.Name, rule.Description, rule.Ref)