diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/schema.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/schema.js
index 8376e733d..1ea3154b3 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/schema.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/schema.js
@@ -1899,7 +1899,8 @@ Zotero.Schema = new function(){
 			return false;
 		}
 		else if (fromVersion > toVersion) {
-			throw("Zotero user data DB version is newer than SQL file");
+			throw new Error("Zotero user data DB version is newer than SQL file "
+				+ "(" + toVersion + " < " + fromVersion + ")");
 		}
 		
 		Zotero.debug('Updating user data tables from version ' + fromVersion + ' to ' + toVersion);
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
index f352a0af4..799156335 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
@@ -608,13 +608,13 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 				var updated = Zotero.Schema.updateSchema();
 			}
 			catch (e) {
-				if (typeof e == 'string' && e.match('newer than SQL file')) {
-					var kbURL = "http://zotero.org/support/kb/newer_db_version";
-					var msg = Zotero.localeJoin([
-							Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder'),
-							Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder.upgrade')
-						]) + "\n\n"
-						+ Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder.current', Zotero.version) + "\n\n"
+				if (e.toString().match('newer than SQL file')) {
+					let versions = e.toString().match(/\((\d+) < \d+\)/);
+					let kbURL = "https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/newer_db_version";
+					let msg = Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder') + " "
+						+ Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder.upgrade') + "\n\n"
+						+ Zotero.getString('startupError.zoteroVersionIsOlder.current', Zotero.version) + "\n"
+						+ (versions ? "DB: " + versions[1] + "\n\n" : "\n")
 						+ Zotero.getString('general.seeForMoreInformation', kbURL);
 					Zotero.startupError = msg;
 					_startupErrorHandler = function() {