diff --git a/src/compiler.jl b/src/compiler.jl
index 6a1f329c8b..3d2bf46238 100644
--- a/src/compiler.jl
+++ b/src/compiler.jl
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ import Enzyme:
     allocatedinline,
     ismutabletype,
     create_fresh_codeinfo,
-    add_edge!
+    add_edge!,
+    LookupError
+
 using Enzyme
 
 import EnzymeCore
@@ -6270,7 +6272,7 @@ function thunk_generator(world::UInt, source::Union{Method, LineNumberNode}, @no
     
     mi = my_methodinstance(Mode == API.DEM_ForwardMode ? Forward : Reverse, ft, primal_tt, world, min_world, max_world)
     
-    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(MethodError($ft, $primal_tt, $world))))
+    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(LookupError($ft, $primal_tt, $world))))
  
     check_activity_cache_invalidations(world)
 
@@ -6389,7 +6391,7 @@ function deferred_id_generator(world::UInt, source::Union{Method, LineNumberNode
  
     mi = my_methodinstance(Mode == API.DEM_ForwardMode ? Forward : Reverse, ft, primal_tt, world, min_world, max_world)
     
-    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(MethodError($ft, $primal_tt, $world))))
+    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(LookupError($ft, $primal_tt, $world))))
     
     target = EnzymeTarget()
     rt2 = if A isa UnionAll
diff --git a/src/typeutils/inference.jl b/src/typeutils/inference.jl
index 9939bb8e5b..979cbd8335 100644
--- a/src/typeutils/inference.jl
+++ b/src/typeutils/inference.jl
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ function primal_return_type_generator(world::UInt, source, self, @nospecialize(m
         slotnames,
         Core.svec(),
     )
-    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(MethodError(ft, tt, $world))))
+    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(LookupError(ft, tt, $world))))
 
     result = primal_return_type_world(mode, world, mi)
     code = Any[Core.Compiler.ReturnNode(result)]
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index cde33d6baa..c2dc83e995 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -264,6 +264,22 @@ end
 end
 
 
+struct LookupError <: Exception
+    ft::Type
+    tt::Type
+    world::UInt
+end
+
+function Base.showerror(io::IO, e::LookupError)
+    print(io, "no method matching ")
+    Base.show_signature_function(io, e.ft)
+    Base.show_tuple_as_call(io, :function, e.tt; hasfirst=false, kwargs=nothing)
+    if Core._hasmethod(GPUCompiler.signature_type_by_tt(e.ft, e.tt))
+        print(io, "\n(method exists but is not available in world age $(e.world))")
+    end
+end
+
+
 """
     create_fresh_codeinfo(fn, source, world)
 
@@ -378,9 +394,9 @@ function methodinstance_generator(world::UInt, source, self, @nospecialize(mode:
     min_world = Ref{UInt}(typemin(UInt))
     max_world = Ref{UInt}(typemax(UInt))
     mi = my_methodinstance(mode.instance, ft, tt, world, min_world, max_world)
-    
-    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(MethodError(ft, tt, $world))))
-    
+
+    mi === nothing && return stub(world, source, :(throw(LookupError($ft, $tt, $world))))
+
     code = Any[Core.Compiler.ReturnNode(mi)]
 
     ci = create_fresh_codeinfo(prevmethodinstance, source, world, slotnames, code)