diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
index 715afb5bad..49895c4641 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/parser.rs
@@ -6534,7 +6534,12 @@ pub fn discover_captures_in_expr(
                     if !seen.contains(var_id) {
                         if let Some(variable) = working_set.get_variable_if_possible(*var_id) {
                             if variable.mutable {
-                                return Err(ParseError::CaptureOfMutableVar(*span));
+                                let var_name = working_set.get_span_contents(*span);
+                                return Err(ParseError::CaptureOfMutableVar {
+                                    var: String::from_utf8_lossy(var_name).into_owned(),
+                                    var_span: span.before(),
+                                    closure_span: block.span,
+                                });
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/errors/parse_error.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/errors/parse_error.rs
index 34a481a113..6ab63a5793 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/errors/parse_error.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/errors/parse_error.rs
@@ -145,9 +145,15 @@ pub enum ParseError {
         help: Option<&'static str>,
     },
 
-    #[error("Capture of mutable variable.")]
-    #[diagnostic(code(nu::parser::expected_keyword))]
-    CaptureOfMutableVar(#[label("capture of mutable variable")] Span),
+    #[error("Cannot capture mutable variables inside closures.")]
+    #[diagnostic(code(nu::parser::mutable_capture))]
+    CaptureOfMutableVar {
+        var: String,
+        #[label("could not capture within this closure")]
+        closure_span: Option<Span>,
+        #[label("attempted to capture mutable variable {var}")]
+        var_span: Span,
+    },
 
     #[error("Expected keyword.")]
     #[diagnostic(code(nu::parser::expected_keyword))]
@@ -570,7 +576,7 @@ impl ParseError {
             ParseError::BuiltinCommandInPipeline(_, s) => *s,
             ParseError::AssignInPipeline(_, _, _, s) => *s,
             ParseError::NameIsBuiltinVar(_, s) => *s,
-            ParseError::CaptureOfMutableVar(s) => *s,
+            ParseError::CaptureOfMutableVar { var_span, .. } => *var_span,
             ParseError::IncorrectValue(_, s, _) => *s,
             ParseError::MultipleRestParams(s) => *s,
             ParseError::VariableNotFound(_, s) => *s,
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/span.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/span.rs
index 77e5bab681..f798262dca 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/span.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/span.rs
@@ -140,6 +140,14 @@ impl Span {
         self.start <= span.start && span.end <= self.end && span.end != 0
     }
 
+    /// Point to the space just before this span
+    pub fn before(&self) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            start: self.start,
+            end: self.start,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Point to the space just past this span, useful for missing values
     pub fn past(&self) -> Self {
         Self {