diff --git a/lib/getdef.c b/lib/getdef.c
index f4f8734f..977660c2 100644
--- a/lib/getdef.c
+++ b/lib/getdef.c
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ unsigned long getdef_ulong (const char *item, unsigned long dflt)
  * (also used when loading the initial defaults)
  */
 
-int putdef_str (const char *name, const char *value)
+int putdef_str (const char *name, const char *value, const char *srcfile)
 {
 	struct itemdef *d;
 	char *cp;
@@ -378,6 +378,8 @@ int putdef_str (const char *name, const char *value)
 	 */
 	d = def_find (name);
 	if (NULL == d) {
+		if (NULL != srcfile)
+			SYSLOG ((LOG_CRIT, "shadow: unknown configuration item '%s' in '%s'", name, srcfile));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -431,7 +433,6 @@ static /*@observer@*/ /*@null@*/struct itemdef *def_find (const char *name)
 	fprintf (shadow_logfd,
 	         _("configuration error - unknown item '%s' (notify administrator)\n"),
 	         name);
-	SYSLOG ((LOG_CRIT, "unknown configuration item `%s'", name));
 
 out:
 	return NULL;
@@ -512,7 +513,7 @@ static void def_load (void)
 		 * The error was already reported to the user and to
 		 * syslog. The tools will just use their default values.
 		 */
-		(void)putdef_str (keys[i], value);
+		(void)putdef_str (keys[i], value, econf_getPath(defs_file));
 
 		free(value);
 	}
@@ -585,7 +586,7 @@ static void def_load (void)
 		 * The error was already reported to the user and to
 		 * syslog. The tools will just use their default values.
 		 */
-		(void)putdef_str (name, value);
+		(void)putdef_str (name, value, def_fname);
 	}
 
 	if (ferror (fp) != 0) {
diff --git a/lib/getdef.h b/lib/getdef.h
index 2bd3fc5f..f55e28b7 100644
--- a/lib/getdef.h
+++ b/lib/getdef.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ extern int getdef_num (const char *, int);
 extern unsigned long getdef_ulong (const char *, unsigned long);
 extern unsigned int getdef_unum (const char *, unsigned int);
 extern /*@observer@*/ /*@null@*/const char *getdef_str (const char *);
-extern int putdef_str (const char *, const char *);
+extern int putdef_str (const char *, const char *, const char *);
 extern void setdef_config_file (const char* file);
 
 /* default UMASK value if not specified in /etc/login.defs */
diff --git a/src/groupadd.c b/src/groupadd.c
index d2421845..0a59509a 100644
--- a/src/groupadd.c
+++ b/src/groupadd.c
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ static void process_flags (int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 			/* terminate name, point to value */
 			*cp++ = '\0';
-			if (putdef_str (optarg, cp) < 0) {
+			if (putdef_str (optarg, cp, NULL) < 0) {
 				exit (E_BAD_ARG);
 			}
 			break;
diff --git a/src/useradd.c b/src/useradd.c
index 2d859725..9c00d646 100644
--- a/src/useradd.c
+++ b/src/useradd.c
@@ -1399,7 +1399,7 @@ static void process_flags (int argc, char **argv)
 				/* terminate name, point to value */
 				*cp = '\0';
 				cp++;
-				if (putdef_str (optarg, cp) < 0) {
+				if (putdef_str (optarg, cp, NULL) < 0) {
 					exit (E_BAD_ARG);
 				}
 				break;