diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/match/parse-helper.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/match/parse-helper.rkt
index 3b5508f870..feaaf5ebf9 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/match/parse-helper.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/match/parse-helper.rkt
@@ -125,13 +125,32 @@
                               =>
                               (lambda (ps)
                                 (unless (= (length ps) (length acc))
-                                  (raise-syntax-error
-                                   'match
-                                   (format "~a structure ~a: expected ~a but got ~a"
-                                           "wrong number for fields for"
-                                           (syntax->datum struct-name) (length acc)
-                                           (length ps))
-                                   stx pats))
+                                  (when (< (length acc) (length ps))
+                                    (raise-syntax-error
+                                     'match
+                                     (format "~a structure ~a: expected ~a but got ~a"
+                                             "excess number of fields for"
+                                             (syntax->datum struct-name) (length acc)
+                                             (length ps))
+                                     stx pats))
+                                  (when (> (length acc) (length ps))
+                                     (raise-syntax-error
+                                       'match
+                                       (format
+                                         "~a structure ~a: expected ~a but got ~a; ~a ~a"
+                                         "insufficient number of fields for"
+                                         (syntax->datum struct-name) (length acc)
+                                         (length ps)
+                                         "missing fields"
+                                         (list-tail
+                                           (map (lambda (field)
+                                             (string->symbol
+                                               (substring (symbol->string (syntax->datum field))
+                                                 (add1 (string-length
+                                                   (symbol->string (syntax->datum struct-name)))))))
+                                             acc)
+                                           (length ps)))
+                                     stx pats)))
                                 (map parse ps))]
                              [else (raise-syntax-error
                                     'match