diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index edf9b6b5426..30e5e6f0c37 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -918,6 +918,7 @@ initsite(void)
     PyObject *m;
     m = PyImport_ImportModule("site");
     if (m == NULL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to import the site module\n");
         PyErr_Print();
         Py_Finalize();
         exit(1);