diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index eceb0ff3c..8ad793291 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -1570,6 +1570,7 @@ E char *FDECL(makeplural, (const char *));
 E char *FDECL(makesingular, (const char *));
 E struct obj *FDECL(readobjnam, (char *,struct obj *));
 E int FDECL(rnd_class, (int,int));
+E const char *FDECL(suit_simple_name, (struct obj *));
 E const char *FDECL(cloak_simple_name, (struct obj *));
 E const char *FDECL(helm_simple_name, (struct obj *));
 E const char *FDECL(mimic_obj_name, (struct monst *));
diff --git a/src/do_wear.c b/src/do_wear.c
index 27050679e..f79aba25f 100644
--- a/src/do_wear.c
+++ b/src/do_wear.c
@@ -1118,7 +1118,20 @@ dotakeoff()
 			  || ((otmp == uarmu) && (uarmc || uarm))
 #endif
 		) {
-	    You_cant("take that off.");
+	    char why[BUFSZ], what[BUFSZ];
+
+	    why[0] = what[0] = '\0';
+	    if (otmp != uskin) {
+		if (uarmc) Strcat(what, cloak_simple_name(uarmc));
+#ifdef TOURIST
+		if ((otmp == uarmu) && uarm) {
+		    if (uarmc) Strcat(what, " and ");
+		    Strcat(what, suit_simple_name(uarm));
+		}
+#endif
+		Sprintf(why, " without taking off your %s first", what);
+	    }
+	    You_cant("take that off%s.", why);
 	    return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -1406,7 +1419,8 @@ boolean noisy;
 	    *mask = W_ARMC;
     } else if (is_suit(otmp)) {
 	if (uarmc) {
-	    if (noisy) You("cannot wear armor over a %s.", cloak_simple_name(uarmc));
+	    if (noisy) You("cannot wear armor over a %s.",
+			   cloak_simple_name(uarmc));
 	    err++;
 	} else if (uarm) {
 	    if (noisy) already_wearing("some armor");
diff --git a/src/objnam.c b/src/objnam.c
index 7d8d727e7..44e24608b 100644
--- a/src/objnam.c
+++ b/src/objnam.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)objnam.c	3.5	2007/04/30	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)objnam.c	3.5	2008/01/23	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -3226,6 +3226,26 @@ int i;
 	return (const char *)0;
 }
 
+const char *
+suit_simple_name(suit)
+struct obj *suit;
+{
+	const char *suitnm, *esuitp;
+
+	if (Is_dragon_mail(suit))
+	    return "dragon mail";   /* <color> dragon scale mail */
+	else if (Is_dragon_scales(suit))
+	    return "dragon scales";
+	suitnm = OBJ_NAME(objects[suit->otyp]);
+	esuitp = eos((char *)suitnm);
+	if (strlen(suitnm) > 5 && !strcmp(esuitp - 5, " mail"))
+	    return "mail";	    /* most suits fall into this category */
+	else if (strlen(suitnm) > 7 && !strcmp(esuitp - 7, " jacket"))
+	    return "jacket";	    /* leather jacket */
+	/* suit is lame but armor is ambiguous and body armor is absurd */
+	return "suit";
+}
+
 const char *
 cloak_simple_name(cloak)
 struct obj *cloak;