diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index f454ae98e4..1e5aa8bc20 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ SH_TESTS =					\
   tests/guix-gc.sh				\
   tests/guix-hash.sh				\
   tests/guix-package.sh				\
+  tests/guix-system.sh				\
   tests/guix-archive.sh				\
   tests/guix-authenticate.sh
 
diff --git a/guix/scripts/offload.scm b/guix/scripts/offload.scm
index d87cad3f23..18af511ed8 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/offload.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/offload.scm
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ determined."
                '()
                (leave (_ "failed to open machine file '~a': ~a~%")
                       file (strerror err)))))
+        (('syntax-error proc message properties form . rest)
+         (let ((loc (source-properties->location properties)))
+           (leave (_ "~a: ~a~%")
+                  (location->string loc) message)))
         (_
          (leave (_ "failed to load machine file '~a': ~s~%")
                 file args))))))
diff --git a/guix/scripts/system.scm b/guix/scripts/system.scm
index c71ad4cbe9..1bedc2c68a 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/system.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/system.scm
@@ -66,8 +66,12 @@
          (let ((err (system-error-errno args)))
            (leave (_ "failed to open operating system file '~a': ~a~%")
                   file (strerror err))))
+        (('syntax-error proc message properties form . rest)
+         (let ((loc (source-properties->location properties)))
+           (leave (_ "~a: ~a~%")
+                  (location->string loc) message)))
         (_
-         (leave (_ "failed to load machine file '~a': ~s~%")
+         (leave (_ "failed to load operating system file '~a': ~s~%")
                 file args))))))
 
 (define* (copy-closure store item target
diff --git a/tests/guix-system.sh b/tests/guix-system.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5476476e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/guix-system.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+# Copyright © 2014 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+#
+# This file is part of GNU Guix.
+#
+# GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+# under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+# your option) any later version.
+#
+# GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#
+# Test the daemon and its interaction with 'guix substitute-binary'.
+#
+
+set -e
+
+guix system --version
+
+tmpfile="t-guix-system-$$"
+errorfile="t-guix-system-error-$$"
+trap 'rm -f "$tmpfile" "$errorfile"' EXIT
+
+cat > "$tmpfile"<<EOF
+;; This is line 1, and the next one is line 2.
+   (operating-system)
+;; The 'T' is at column 3.
+EOF
+
+if guix system vm "$tmpfile" 2> "$errorfile"
+then
+    # This must not succeed.
+    exit 1
+else
+    grep "$tmpfile:2:3:.*missing.* initializers" "$errorfile"
+fi