diff --git a/src/text/template/funcs.go b/src/text/template/funcs.go
index 7d63cf8b7bb6db..e256b7c649d848 100644
--- a/src/text/template/funcs.go
+++ b/src/text/template/funcs.go
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ func eq(arg1 reflect.Value, arg2 ...reflect.Value) (bool, error) {
 				truth = arg.Int() >= 0 && arg1.Uint() == uint64(arg.Int())
 			default:
 				if arg1.IsValid() && arg.IsValid() {
-					return false, errBadComparison
+					return false, fmt.Errorf("incompatible types for comparison: %v and %v", arg1.Type(), arg.Type())
 				}
 			}
 		} else {
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ func lt(arg1, arg2 reflect.Value) (bool, error) {
 		case k1 == uintKind && k2 == intKind:
 			truth = arg2.Int() >= 0 && arg1.Uint() < uint64(arg2.Int())
 		default:
-			return false, errBadComparison
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("incompatible types for comparison: %v and %v", arg1.Type(), arg2.Type())
 		}
 	} else {
 		switch k1 {