diff --git a/doc/82-Changelog.md b/doc/82-Changelog.md
index 9653500b..03289063 100644
--- a/doc/82-Changelog.md
+++ b/doc/82-Changelog.md
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ next (will be 1.8.1)
 ### User Interface
 * FIX: don't fail when showing a Host overriding multiple inherited groups (#2253)
 
+### Automation, User Interface
+* FIX: error message wording on failing related (or parent) object ref (#2224)
+
 1.8.0
 -----
 
diff --git a/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObject.php b/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObject.php
index 6a271607..140e85d0 100644
--- a/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObject.php
+++ b/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObject.php
@@ -535,7 +535,13 @@ abstract class IcingaObject extends DbObject implements IcingaConfigRenderer
                 $this->connection
             );
         } catch (NotFoundError $e) {
-            throw new RuntimeException($e->getMessage(), 0, $e);
+            // Hint: eventually a NotFoundError would be better
+            throw new RuntimeException(sprintf(
+                'Unable to load object referenced from %s "%s", %s',
+                $this->getShortTableName(),
+                $this->getObjectName(),
+                lcfirst($e->getMessage())
+            ), $e->getCode(), $e);
         }
 
         $this->reallySet($name, $object->get('id'));
diff --git a/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObjectImports.php b/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObjectImports.php
index c3835f97..109ec0c8 100644
--- a/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObjectImports.php
+++ b/library/Director/Objects/IcingaObjectImports.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ namespace Icinga\Module\Director\Objects;
 
 use Countable;
 use Exception;
+use Icinga\Exception\NotFoundError;
 use Iterator;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\IcingaConfig\IcingaConfigHelper as c;
 use Icinga\Module\Director\IcingaConfig\IcingaConfigRenderer;
@@ -251,14 +252,23 @@ class IcingaObjectImports implements Iterator, Countable, IcingaConfigRenderer
         $connection = $this->object->getConnection();
         /** @var IcingaObject $class */
         $class = $this->getImportClass();
-        if (is_array($this->object->getKeyName())) {
-            // Services only
-            $import = $class::load([
-                'object_name' => $name,
-                'object_type' => 'template'
-            ], $connection);
-        } else {
-            $import = $class::load($name, $connection);
+        try {
+            if (is_array($this->object->getKeyName())) {
+                // Services only
+                $import = $class::load([
+                    'object_name' => $name,
+                    'object_type' => 'template'
+                ], $connection);
+            } else {
+                $import = $class::load($name, $connection);
+            }
+        } catch (NotFoundError $e) {
+            throw new NotFoundError(sprintf(
+                'Unable to load parent referenced from %s "%s", %s',
+                $this->object->getShortTableName(),
+                $this->object->getObjectName(),
+                lcfirst($e->getMessage())
+            ), $e->getCode(), $e);
         }
 
         return $this->objects[$import->getObjectName()] = $import;