diff --git a/salt/state.py b/salt/state.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/salt/state.py
+++ b/salt/state.py
@@ -2920,7 +2920,8 @@ class BaseHighState(object):
         try:
             top = self.get_top()
         except SaltRenderError as err:
-            ret[tag_name]['comment'] = err.error
+            ret[tag_name]['comment'] = 'Unable to render top file: '
+            ret[tag_name]['comment'] += err.error
             return ret
         except Exception:
             trb = traceback.format_exc()
Clarify error in rendering template for top file

The current error is slightly ambiguous, this makes it <I>% clear that
the problem occured while rendering the top file.