diff --git a/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh b/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
index 6d68e5df3..1da8d91df 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class Bindings
 {
 public:
     typedef uint32_t size_t;
+    Pos *pos;
 
 private:
     size_t size_, capacity_;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.cc b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
index 936bccc8c..ef9f8efca 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
@@ -201,6 +201,15 @@ string showType(const Value & v)
     }
 }
 
+Pos Value::determinePos(const Pos &pos) const
+{
+    switch (internalType) {
+        case tAttrs: return *attrs->pos;
+        case tLambda: return lambda.fun->pos;
+        case tApp: return app.left->determinePos(pos);
+        default: return pos;
+    }
+}
 
 bool Value::isTrivial() const
 {
@@ -1060,6 +1069,8 @@ void ExprAttrs::eval(EvalState & state, Env & env, Value & v)
         v.attrs->push_back(Attr(nameSym, i.valueExpr->maybeThunk(state, *dynamicEnv), &i.pos));
         v.attrs->sort(); // FIXME: inefficient
     }
+
+    v.attrs->pos = &pos;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
index 8df8055b3..51a14cd59 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ struct ExprOpHasAttr : Expr
 struct ExprAttrs : Expr
 {
     bool recursive;
+    Pos pos;
     struct AttrDef {
         bool inherited;
         Expr * e;
@@ -199,7 +200,8 @@ struct ExprAttrs : Expr
     };
     typedef std::vector<DynamicAttrDef> DynamicAttrDefs;
     DynamicAttrDefs dynamicAttrs;
-    ExprAttrs() : recursive(false) { };
+    ExprAttrs(const Pos &pos) : recursive(false), pos(pos) { };
+    ExprAttrs() : recursive(false), pos(noPos) { };
     COMMON_METHODS
 };
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/parser.y b/src/libexpr/parser.y
index 49d995bb9..f948dde47 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/parser.y
+++ b/src/libexpr/parser.y
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ binds
           $$->attrs[i.symbol] = ExprAttrs::AttrDef(new ExprSelect(CUR_POS, $4, i.symbol), makeCurPos(@6, data));
       }
     }
-  | { $$ = new ExprAttrs; }
+  | { $$ = new ExprAttrs(makeCurPos(@0, data)); }
   ;
 
 attrs
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops.cc b/src/libexpr/primops.cc
index 428adf4c2..ff2f302ed 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops.cc
@@ -547,18 +547,56 @@ typedef list<Value *> ValueList;
 #endif
 
 
+static Bindings::iterator getAttr(
+    EvalState & state,
+    string funcName,
+    string attrName,
+    Bindings * attrSet,
+    const Pos & pos)
+{
+    Bindings::iterator value = attrSet->find(state.symbols.create(attrName));
+    if (value == attrSet->end()) {
+        hintformat errorMsg = hintfmt(
+            "attribute '%s' missing for call to '%s'",
+            attrName,
+            funcName
+        );
+
+        Pos aPos = *attrSet->pos;
+        if (aPos == noPos) {
+            throw TypeError({
+                .msg = errorMsg,
+                .errPos = pos,
+            });
+        } else {
+            auto e = TypeError({
+                .msg = errorMsg,
+                .errPos = aPos,
+            });
+
+            // Adding another trace for the function name to make it clear
+            // which call received wrong arguments.
+            e.addTrace(pos, hintfmt("while invoking '%s'", funcName));
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return value;
+}
+
 static void prim_genericClosure(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
     state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
 
     /* Get the start set. */
-    Bindings::iterator startSet =
-        args[0]->attrs->find(state.symbols.create("startSet"));
-    if (startSet == args[0]->attrs->end())
-        throw EvalError({
-            .msg = hintfmt("attribute 'startSet' required"),
-            .errPos = pos
-        });
+    Bindings::iterator startSet = getAttr(
+        state,
+        "genericClosure",
+        "startSet",
+        args[0]->attrs,
+        pos
+    );
+
     state.forceList(*startSet->value, pos);
 
     ValueList workSet;
@@ -566,13 +604,14 @@ static void prim_genericClosure(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
         workSet.push_back(startSet->value->listElems()[n]);
 
     /* Get the operator. */
-    Bindings::iterator op =
-        args[0]->attrs->find(state.symbols.create("operator"));
-    if (op == args[0]->attrs->end())
-        throw EvalError({
-            .msg = hintfmt("attribute 'operator' required"),
-            .errPos = pos
-        });
+    Bindings::iterator op = getAttr(
+        state,
+        "genericClosure",
+        "operator",
+        args[0]->attrs,
+        pos
+    );
+
     state.forceValue(*op->value, pos);
 
     /* Construct the closure by applying the operator to element of
@@ -816,12 +855,14 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
     state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
 
     /* Figure out the name first (for stack backtraces). */
-    Bindings::iterator attr = args[0]->attrs->find(state.sName);
-    if (attr == args[0]->attrs->end())
-        throw EvalError({
-            .msg = hintfmt("required attribute 'name' missing"),
-            .errPos = pos
-        });
+    Bindings::iterator attr = getAttr(
+        state,
+        "derivationStrict",
+        state.sName,
+        args[0]->attrs,
+        pos
+    );
+
     string drvName;
     Pos & posDrvName(*attr->pos);
     try {
@@ -953,7 +994,7 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
                     }
 
                 } else {
-                    auto s = state.coerceToString(posDrvName, *i->value, context, true);
+                    auto s = state.coerceToString(*i->pos, *i->value, context, true);
                     drv.env.emplace(key, s);
                     if (i->name == state.sBuilder) drv.builder = s;
                     else if (i->name == state.sSystem) drv.platform = s;
@@ -1369,12 +1410,13 @@ static void prim_findFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
         if (i != v2.attrs->end())
             prefix = state.forceStringNoCtx(*i->value, pos);
 
-        i = v2.attrs->find(state.symbols.create("path"));
-        if (i == v2.attrs->end())
-            throw EvalError({
-                .msg = hintfmt("attribute 'path' missing"),
-                .errPos = pos
-            });
+        i = getAttr(
+            state,
+            "findFile",
+            "path",
+            v2.attrs,
+            pos
+        );
 
         PathSet context;
         string path = state.coerceToString(pos, *i->value, context, false, false);
@@ -2016,12 +2058,13 @@ void prim_getAttr(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
     string attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     state.forceAttrs(*args[1], pos);
     // !!! Should we create a symbol here or just do a lookup?
-    Bindings::iterator i = args[1]->attrs->find(state.symbols.create(attr));
-    if (i == args[1]->attrs->end())
-        throw EvalError({
-            .msg = hintfmt("attribute '%1%' missing", attr),
-            .errPos = pos
-        });
+    Bindings::iterator i = getAttr(
+        state,
+        "getAttr",
+        attr,
+        args[1]->attrs,
+        pos
+    );
     // !!! add to stack trace?
     if (state.countCalls && i->pos) state.attrSelects[*i->pos]++;
     state.forceValue(*i->value, pos);
@@ -2148,22 +2191,25 @@ static void prim_listToAttrs(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args,
         Value & v2(*args[0]->listElems()[i]);
         state.forceAttrs(v2, pos);
 
-        Bindings::iterator j = v2.attrs->find(state.sName);
-        if (j == v2.attrs->end())
-            throw TypeError({
-                .msg = hintfmt("'name' attribute missing in a call to 'listToAttrs'"),
-                .errPos = pos
-            });
-        string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*j->value, pos);
+        Bindings::iterator j = getAttr(
+            state,
+            "listToAttrs",
+            state.sName,
+            v2.attrs,
+            pos
+        );
+
+        string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*j->value, *j->pos);
 
         Symbol sym = state.symbols.create(name);
         if (seen.insert(sym).second) {
-            Bindings::iterator j2 = v2.attrs->find(state.symbols.create(state.sValue));
-            if (j2 == v2.attrs->end())
-                throw TypeError({
-                    .msg = hintfmt("'value' attribute missing in a call to 'listToAttrs'"),
-                    .errPos = pos
-                });
+            Bindings::iterator j2 = getAttr(
+                state,
+                "listToAttrs",
+                state.sValue,
+                v2.attrs,
+                pos
+            );
             v.attrs->push_back(Attr(sym, j2->value, j2->pos));
         }
     }
@@ -2804,7 +2850,12 @@ static void prim_concatMap(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, V
     for (unsigned int n = 0; n < nrLists; ++n) {
         Value * vElem = args[1]->listElems()[n];
         state.callFunction(*args[0], *vElem, lists[n], pos);
-        state.forceList(lists[n], pos);
+        try {
+            state.forceList(lists[n], lists[n].determinePos(args[0]->determinePos(pos)));
+        } catch (TypeError &e) {
+            e.addTrace(pos, hintfmt("while invoking '%s'", "concatMap"));
+            throw e;
+        }
         len += lists[n].listSize();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/value.hh b/src/libexpr/value.hh
index b317c1898..a1f131f9e 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/value.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/value.hh
@@ -341,6 +341,8 @@ public:
         return internalType == tList1 ? 1 : internalType == tList2 ? 2 : bigList.size;
     }
 
+    Pos determinePos(const Pos &pos) const;
+
     /* Check whether forcing this value requires a trivial amount of
        computation. In particular, function applications are
        non-trivial. */