diff --git a/compose/config/validation.py b/compose/config/validation.py
index 8c89cdf2b..726750a3d 100644
--- a/compose/config/validation.py
+++ b/compose/config/validation.py
@@ -416,6 +416,6 @@ def handle_errors(errors, format_error_func, filename):
 
     error_msg = '\n'.join(format_error_func(error) for error in errors)
     raise ConfigurationError(
-        "Validation failed{file_msg}, reason(s):\n{error_msg}".format(
-            file_msg=" in file '{}'".format(filename) if filename else "",
+        "The Compose file{file_msg} is invalid because:\n{error_msg}".format(
+            file_msg=" '{}'".format(filename) if filename else "",
             error_msg=error_msg))