diff --git a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
index 3d6a6cfe4bdf..e741d288dbe9 100644
--- a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
+++ b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
@@ -564,6 +564,10 @@ gpiobus_acquire_bus(device_t busdev, device_t child, int how)
 	GPIOBUS_ASSERT_UNLOCKED(sc);
 	GPIOBUS_LOCK(sc);
 	if (sc->sc_owner != NULL) {
+		if (sc->sc_owner == child)
+			panic("%s: %s still owns the bus.",
+			    device_get_nameunit(busdev),
+			    device_get_nameunit(child));
 		if (how == GPIOBUS_DONTWAIT) {
 			GPIOBUS_UNLOCK(sc);
 			return (EWOULDBLOCK);
@@ -586,9 +590,14 @@ gpiobus_release_bus(device_t busdev, device_t child)
 	GPIOBUS_ASSERT_UNLOCKED(sc);
 	GPIOBUS_LOCK(sc);
 	if (sc->sc_owner == NULL)
-		panic("gpiobus: releasing unowned bus.");
+		panic("%s: %s releasing unowned bus.",
+		    device_get_nameunit(busdev),
+		    device_get_nameunit(child));
 	if (sc->sc_owner != child)
-		panic("gpiobus: you don't own the bus. game over.");
+		panic("%s: %s trying to release bus owned by %s",
+		    device_get_nameunit(busdev),
+		    device_get_nameunit(child),
+		    device_get_nameunit(sc->sc_owner));
 	sc->sc_owner = NULL;
 	wakeup(sc);
 	GPIOBUS_UNLOCK(sc);