diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fa56cf30ec1..ab1ce8f4ef2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ Ansible Changes By Release
   https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/24169
 * Do not log data field in `docker_secrets` module (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/31366)
 * Fix rpm_key taking the wrong 8 chars from the keyid (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/31045)
+* chown errors now more informative
 
 <a id="2.4"></a>
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 264152d0b34..8006415df4e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -1133,9 +1133,9 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                 return True
             try:
                 os.lchown(b_path, uid, -1)
-            except OSError:
+            except (IOError, OSError) as e:
                 path = to_text(b_path)
-                self.fail_json(path=path, msg='chown failed')
+                self.fail_json(path=path, msg='chown failed: %s' % (to_text(e)))
             changed = True
         return changed