diff --git a/src/idl_gen_python.cpp b/src/idl_gen_python.cpp
index a7feb044aee..b034ec8c34d 100644
--- a/src/idl_gen_python.cpp
+++ b/src/idl_gen_python.cpp
@@ -2903,19 +2903,19 @@ class PythonGenerator : public BaseGenerator {
 
 }  // namespace python
 
-static bool GeneratePython(const Parser& parser, const std::string& path,
+static const char* GeneratePython(const Parser& parser, const std::string& path,
                            const std::string& file_name) {
   python::Version version{parser.opts.python_version};
-  if (!version.IsValid()) return false;
+  if (!version.IsValid()) return "The provided Python version is not valid";
 
   python::PythonGenerator generator(parser, path, file_name, version);
-  if (!generator.generate()) return false;
+  if (!generator.generate()) return "could not generate Python code";
 
   if (parser.opts.python_typing) {
     python::PythonStubGenerator stub_generator(parser, path, version);
-    if (!stub_generator.Generate()) return false;
+    if (!stub_generator.Generate()) return "could not generate Python type stubs";
   }
-  return true;
+  return nullptr;
 }
 
 namespace {
@@ -2924,7 +2924,9 @@ class PythonCodeGenerator : public CodeGenerator {
  public:
   Status GenerateCode(const Parser& parser, const std::string& path,
                       const std::string& filename) override {
-    if (!GeneratePython(parser, path, filename)) {
+    auto err = GeneratePython(parser, path, filename);
+    if (err) {
+      status_detail = " " + std::string(err);
       return Status::ERROR;
     }
     return Status::OK;
@@ -2946,7 +2948,7 @@ class PythonCodeGenerator : public CodeGenerator {
 
   Status GenerateGrpcCode(const Parser& parser, const std::string& path,
                           const std::string& filename) override {
-    if (!GeneratePythonGRPC(parser, path, filename)) {
+    if (!GeneratePythonGRPC(parser, path, filename)) { // TODO add status GeneratePythonGRPC
       return Status::ERROR;
     }
     return Status::OK;