diff --git a/src/crypto/x509/x509.go b/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
index 89789ceba4f539..037924cede331a 100644
--- a/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
+++ b/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ func parsePublicKey(algo PublicKeyAlgorithm, keyData *publicKeyInfo) (interface{
 		namedCurveOID := new(asn1.ObjectIdentifier)
 		rest, err := asn1.Unmarshal(paramsData, namedCurveOID)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, errors.New("x509: failed to parse ECDSA parameters as named curve")
 		}
 		if len(rest) != 0 {
 			return nil, errors.New("x509: trailing data after ECDSA parameters")