diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
index 21c2d3dd7f..64605f6409 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl<'a> WasmBackend<'a> {
             });
         // TODO: move this to module parsing
         let next_constant_addr = module.global.parse_u32_at_index(data_end_idx).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-            internal_error!("Failed to parse __data_end from object file: {}", e);
+            internal_error!("Failed to parse __data_end from object file: {:?}", e);
         });
 
         module.export.exports = app_exports;
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/lib.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/lib.rs
index 52d60096c6..9d73f8a182 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/lib.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use roc_mono::code_gen_help::CodeGenHelp;
 use roc_mono::ir::{Proc, ProcLayout};
 use roc_mono::layout::LayoutIds;
 use roc_target::TargetInfo;
+use wasm_module::parse::ParseError;
 
 use crate::backend::{ProcLookupData, ProcSource, WasmBackend};
 use crate::wasm_module::{
@@ -59,7 +60,8 @@ pub fn build_module<'a>(
     procedures: MutMap<(Symbol, ProcLayout<'a>), Proc<'a>>,
 ) -> Result<std::vec::Vec<u8>, String> {
     let (mut wasm_module, called_preload_fns, _) =
-        build_module_unserialized(env, interns, preload_bytes, procedures)?;
+        build_module_unserialized(env, interns, preload_bytes, procedures)
+            .map_err(|e| format!("{:?}", e))?;
 
     wasm_module.remove_dead_preloads(env.arena, called_preload_fns);
 
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ pub fn build_module_unserialized<'a>(
     interns: &'a mut Interns,
     preload_bytes: &[u8],
     procedures: MutMap<(Symbol, ProcLayout<'a>), Proc<'a>>,
-) -> Result<(WasmModule<'a>, Vec<'a, u32>, u32), String> {
+) -> Result<(WasmModule<'a>, Vec<'a, u32>, u32), ParseError> {
     let mut layout_ids = LayoutIds::default();
     let mut procs = Vec::with_capacity_in(procedures.len(), env.arena);
     let mut proc_lookup = Vec::with_capacity_in(procedures.len() * 2, env.arena);
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/dead_code.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/dead_code.rs
index 198d53c8ba..9e8dd5e07f 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/dead_code.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/dead_code.rs
@@ -121,10 +121,9 @@ pub fn parse_preloads_call_graph<'a>(
                 u32::skip_bytes(code_section_body, &mut cursor).unwrap(); // table_idx
             } else {
                 OpCode::skip_bytes(code_section_body, &mut cursor).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-                    let display_slice = &code_section_body[cursor - 4..cursor + 4];
                     panic!(
-                        "Error parsing host object file, at offset {} (0x{:x}) within Code section: {}\nbytes around the error: {:x?}\nstart of code section: {:x?}",
-                        cursor, cursor, e, display_slice, &code_section_body[0..16]
+                        "Error parsing host object file, at offset 0x{:x} within Code section: {}",
+                        cursor, e.message
                     )
                 });
             }
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/mod.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/mod.rs
index d6715b916e..ee40fc0207 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/mod.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/mod.rs
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ pub mod code_builder;
 mod dead_code;
 pub mod linking;
 pub mod opcodes;
+pub mod parse;
 pub mod sections;
 pub mod serialize;
-pub mod parse;
 
 use bumpalo::{collections::Vec, Bump};
 pub use code_builder::{Align, CodeBuilder, LocalId, ValueType, VmSymbolState};
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub use linking::SymInfo;
 pub use sections::{ConstExpr, Export, ExportType, Global, GlobalType, Signature};
 
 use self::linking::{LinkingSection, RelocationSection};
+use self::parse::ParseError;
 use self::sections::{
     CodeSection, DataSection, ElementSection, ExportSection, FunctionSection, GlobalSection,
     ImportSection, MemorySection, NameSection, OpaqueSection, Section, SectionId, TableSection,
@@ -121,11 +122,15 @@ impl<'a> WasmModule<'a> {
             + self.names.size()
     }
 
-    pub fn preload(arena: &'a Bump, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<Self, String> {
+    pub fn preload(arena: &'a Bump, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<Self, ParseError> {
         let is_valid_magic_number = &bytes[0..4] == "\0asm".as_bytes();
         let is_valid_version = bytes[4..8] == Self::WASM_VERSION.to_le_bytes();
         if !is_valid_magic_number || !is_valid_version {
-            return Err("This file is not a WebAssembly binary. The file header is not valid.".into());
+            return Err(ParseError {
+                offset: 0,
+                message: "This file is not a WebAssembly binary. The file header is not valid."
+                    .into(),
+            });
         }
 
         let mut cursor: usize = 8;
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/opcodes.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/opcodes.rs
index 5836f6b0e3..e5674dc2b2 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/opcodes.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/opcodes.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use super::parse::{Parse, SkipBytes};
+use super::parse::{Parse, ParseError, SkipBytes};
 
 #[repr(u8)]
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -259,13 +259,17 @@ fn immediates_for(op: OpCode) -> Result<OpImmediates, String> {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for OpCode {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         use OpImmediates::*;
 
         let opcode_byte: u8 = bytes[*cursor];
 
         let opcode: OpCode = unsafe { std::mem::transmute(opcode_byte) };
-        let immediates = immediates_for(opcode)?; // will return Err if transmute was invalid
+        // will return Err if transmute was invalid
+        let immediates = immediates_for(opcode).map_err(|message| ParseError {
+            message,
+            offset: *cursor,
+        })?;
 
         match immediates {
             NoImmediate => {
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/parse.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/parse.rs
index b90c4eb582..99fb2c28ec 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/parse.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/parse.rs
@@ -4,18 +4,24 @@ use bumpalo::Bump;
 /// Parse serialized bytes into a data structure
 /// Specific parsers may need contextual data from other parts of the .wasm file
 pub trait Parse<ParseContext>: Sized {
-    fn parse(ctx: ParseContext, bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, String>;
+    fn parse(ctx: ParseContext, bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, ParseError>;
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct ParseError {
+    pub offset: usize,
+    pub message: String,
 }
 
 /// Skip over serialized bytes for a type
 /// This may, or may not, require looking at the byte values
 pub trait SkipBytes: Sized {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String>;
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError>;
 }
 
 /// Decode an unsigned 32-bit integer from the provided buffer in LEB-128 format
 /// Return the integer itself and the offset after it ends
-fn decode_u32(bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(u32, usize), String> {
+fn decode_u32(bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(u32, usize), ()> {
     let mut value = 0;
     let mut shift = 0;
     for (i, byte) in bytes.iter().take(MAX_SIZE_ENCODED_U32).enumerate() {
@@ -25,23 +31,30 @@ fn decode_u32(bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(u32, usize), String> {
         }
         shift += 7;
     }
-    Err(format!(
-        "Failed to decode u32 as LEB-128 from bytes: {:2x?}",
-        std::vec::Vec::from_iter(bytes.iter().take(MAX_SIZE_ENCODED_U32))
-    ))
+    Err(())
 }
 
 impl Parse<()> for u32 {
-    fn parse(_ctx: (), bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, String> {
-        let (value, len) = decode_u32(&bytes[*cursor..])?;
-        *cursor += len;
-        Ok(value)
+    fn parse(_ctx: (), bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, ParseError> {
+        match decode_u32(&bytes[*cursor..]) {
+            Ok((value, len)) => {
+                *cursor += len;
+                Ok(value)
+            }
+            Err(()) => Err(ParseError {
+                offset: *cursor,
+                message: format!(
+                    "Failed to decode u32 as LEB-128 from bytes: {:2x?}",
+                    &bytes[*cursor..][..MAX_SIZE_ENCODED_U32]
+                ),
+            }),
+        }
     }
 }
 
 // Parse string bytes without utf8 validation
 impl<'a> Parse<&'a Bump> for &'a [u8] {
-    fn parse(arena: &'a Bump, bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, String> {
+    fn parse(arena: &'a Bump, bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<Self, ParseError> {
         let len = u32::parse((), bytes, cursor)?;
         let end = *cursor + len as usize;
         let bytes: &[u8] = &bytes[*cursor..end];
@@ -52,7 +65,7 @@ impl<'a> Parse<&'a Bump> for &'a [u8] {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for u32 {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         const MAX_LEN: usize = 5;
         for (i, byte) in bytes.iter().enumerate().skip(*cursor).take(MAX_LEN) {
             if byte & 0x80 == 0 {
@@ -60,12 +73,15 @@ impl SkipBytes for u32 {
                 return Ok(());
             }
         }
-        Err("Invalid LEB encoding".into())
+        Err(ParseError {
+            offset: *cursor,
+            message: "Invalid LEB encoding".into(),
+        })
     }
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for u64 {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         const MAX_LEN: usize = 10;
         for (i, byte) in bytes.iter().enumerate().skip(*cursor).take(MAX_LEN) {
             if byte & 0x80 == 0 {
@@ -73,12 +89,15 @@ impl SkipBytes for u64 {
                 return Ok(());
             }
         }
-        Err("Invalid LEB encoding".into())
+        Err(ParseError {
+            offset: *cursor,
+            message: "Invalid LEB encoding".into(),
+        })
     }
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for u8 {
-    fn skip_bytes(_bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(_bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         *cursor += 1;
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -86,7 +105,7 @@ impl SkipBytes for u8 {
 
 /// Note: This is just for skipping over Wasm bytes. We don't actually care about String vs str!
 impl SkipBytes for String {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         let len = u32::parse((), bytes, cursor)?;
 
         if false {
diff --git a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/sections.rs b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/sections.rs
index 7eafa1d885..401f28f267 100644
--- a/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/sections.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen_wasm/src/wasm_module/sections.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use super::dead_code::{
 };
 use super::linking::RelocationEntry;
 use super::opcodes::OpCode;
-use super::parse::{Parse, SkipBytes};
+use super::parse::{Parse, ParseError, SkipBytes};
 use super::serialize::{SerialBuffer, Serialize, MAX_SIZE_ENCODED_U32};
 use super::{CodeBuilder, ValueType};
 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ impl<'a> ImportSection<'a> {
         self.count += 1;
     }
 
-    pub fn parse(&mut self, arena: &'a Bump) -> Result<Vec<'a, u32>, String> {
+    pub fn parse(&mut self, arena: &'a Bump) -> Result<Vec<'a, u32>, ParseError> {
         let mut fn_signatures = bumpalo::vec![in arena];
         let mut cursor = 0;
         while cursor < self.bytes.len() {
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ impl Serialize for TableType {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for TableType {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         u8::skip_bytes(bytes, cursor)?;
         Limits::skip_bytes(bytes, cursor)?;
         Ok(())
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ impl Serialize for Limits {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for Limits {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         let variant_id = bytes[*cursor];
         u8::skip_bytes(bytes, cursor)?; // advance past the variant byte
         u32::skip_bytes(bytes, cursor)?; // skip "min"
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ impl Serialize for GlobalType {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for GlobalType {
-    fn skip_bytes(_bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(_bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         *cursor += 2;
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -655,15 +655,18 @@ pub enum ConstExpr {
 }
 
 impl ConstExpr {
-    fn parse_u32(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<u32, String> {
-        let err = Err("Invalid ConstExpr. Expected i32.".into());
+    fn parse_u32(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<u32, ParseError> {
+        let err = Err(ParseError {
+            offset: *cursor,
+            message: "Invalid ConstExpr. Expected i32.".into(),
+        });
 
         if bytes[*cursor] != OpCode::I32CONST as u8 {
             return err;
         }
         *cursor += 1;
 
-        let value = u32::parse((), bytes, cursor).unwrap();
+        let value = u32::parse((), bytes, cursor)?;
 
         if bytes[*cursor] != OpCode::END as u8 {
             return err;
@@ -706,7 +709,7 @@ impl Serialize for ConstExpr {
 }
 
 impl SkipBytes for ConstExpr {
-    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fn skip_bytes(bytes: &[u8], cursor: &mut usize) -> Result<(), ParseError> {
         while bytes[*cursor] != OpCode::END as u8 {
             OpCode::skip_bytes(bytes, cursor)?;
         }
@@ -737,7 +740,7 @@ pub struct GlobalSection<'a> {
 }
 
 impl<'a> GlobalSection<'a> {
-    pub fn parse_u32_at_index(&self, index: u32) -> Result<u32, String> {
+    pub fn parse_u32_at_index(&self, index: u32) -> Result<u32, ParseError> {
         let mut cursor = 0;
         for _ in 0..index {
             GlobalType::skip_bytes(&self.bytes, &mut cursor)?;