diff --git a/plans/objchange/compatible.go b/plans/objchange/compatible.go
index d85086c97..8b3aeedbf 100644
--- a/plans/objchange/compatible.go
+++ b/plans/objchange/compatible.go
@@ -28,12 +28,17 @@ func AssertObjectCompatible(schema *configschema.Block, planned, actual cty.Valu
 
 func assertObjectCompatible(schema *configschema.Block, planned, actual cty.Value, path cty.Path) []error {
 	var errs []error
+	var atRoot string
+	if len(path) == 0 {
+		atRoot = "Root resource "
+	}
+
 	if planned.IsNull() && !actual.IsNull() {
-		errs = append(errs, path.NewErrorf("was absent, but now present"))
+		errs = append(errs, path.NewErrorf(fmt.Sprintf("%swas absent, but now present", atRoot)))
 		return errs
 	}
 	if actual.IsNull() && !planned.IsNull() {
-		errs = append(errs, path.NewErrorf("was present, but now absent"))
+		errs = append(errs, path.NewErrorf(fmt.Sprintf("%swas present, but now absent", atRoot)))
 		return errs
 	}
 	if planned.IsNull() {
diff --git a/terraform/eval_apply.go b/terraform/eval_apply.go
index 6c9ed41ba..00af310bb 100644
--- a/terraform/eval_apply.go
+++ b/terraform/eval_apply.go
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func (n *EvalApply) Eval(ctx EvalContext) (interface{}, error) {
 						tfdiags.Error,
 						"Provider produced inconsistent result after apply",
 						fmt.Sprintf(
-							"When applying changes to %s, provider %q produced an unexpected new value for %s.\n\nThis is a bug in the provider, which should be reported in the provider's own issue tracker.",
+							"When applying changes to %s, provider %q produced an unexpected new value: %s.\n\nThis is a bug in the provider, which should be reported in the provider's own issue tracker.",
 							absAddr, n.ProviderAddr.Provider.String(), tfdiags.FormatError(err),
 						),
 					))