diff --git a/age/encrypted_keys.go b/age/encrypted_keys.go
index c7789db90..922564da7 100644
--- a/age/encrypted_keys.go
+++ b/age/encrypted_keys.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (i *LazyScryptIdentity) Unwrap(stanzas []*age.Stanza) (fileKey []byte, err
 	return fileKey, err
 }
 
-func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
+func unwrapIdentities(location string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 	b := bufio.NewReader(reader)
 	p, _ := b.Peek(14) // length of "age-encryption" and "-----BEGIN AGE"
 	peeked := string(p)
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 		const privateKeySizeLimit = 1 << 24 // 16 MiB
 		contents, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(r, privateKeySizeLimit))
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read '%s': %w", key, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read '%s': %w", location, err)
 		}
 		if len(contents) == privateKeySizeLimit {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read '%s': file too long", key)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read '%s': file too long", location)
 		}
 		IncorrectPassphrase := func() {
 			conn, err := gpgagent.NewConn()
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 					log.Errorf("failed to close connection with gpg-agent: %s", err)
 				}
 			}(conn)
-			err = conn.RemoveFromCache(key)
+			err = conn.RemoveFromCache(location)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Warnf("gpg-agent remove cache request errored: %s", err)
 				return
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 			Passphrase: func() (string, error) {
 				conn, err := gpgagent.NewConn()
 				if err != nil {
-					passphrase, err := readSecret("Enter passphrase for identity " + key + ":")
+					passphrase, err := readSecret(fmt.Sprintf("Enter passphrase for identity '%s':", location))
 					if err != nil {
 						return "", err
 					}
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 
 				req := gpgagent.PassphraseRequest{
 					// TODO is the cachekey good enough?
-					CacheKey: key,
+					CacheKey: location,
 					Prompt:   "Passphrase",
-					Desc:     fmt.Sprintf("Enter passphrase for identity '%s':", key),
+					Desc:     fmt.Sprintf("Enter passphrase for identity '%s':", location),
 				}
 				pass, err := conn.GetPassphrase(&req)
 				if err != nil {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 			},
 			IncorrectPassphrase: IncorrectPassphrase,
 			NoMatchWarning: func() {
-				log.Warnf("encrypted identity '%s' didn't match file's recipients", key)
+				log.Warnf("encrypted identity '%s' didn't match file's recipients", location)
 			},
 		}}
 		return ids, nil
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func unwrapIdentities(key string, reader io.Reader) (ParsedIdentities, error) {
 	default:
 		ids, err := parseIdentities(b)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse '%s' age identities: %w", key, err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse '%s' age identities: %w", location, err)
 		}
 		return ids, nil
 	}
diff --git a/age/keysource.go b/age/keysource.go
index 090533555..35ca024cf 100644
--- a/age/keysource.go
+++ b/age/keysource.go
@@ -206,16 +206,41 @@ func (key *MasterKey) SetEncryptedDataKey(enc []byte) {
 	key.EncryptedKey = string(enc)
 }
 
+func formatError(msg string, err error, errs errSet, unusedLocations []string) error {
+	var loadSuffix string
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		loadSuffix = fmt.Sprintf(". Errors while loading age identities: %s", errs.Error())
+	}
+	var unusedSuffix string
+	if len(unusedLocations) > 0 {
+		count := len(unusedLocations)
+		if count == 1 {
+			unusedSuffix = fmt.Sprintf(" '%s'", unusedLocations[0])
+		} else if count == 2 {
+			unusedSuffix = fmt.Sprintf("s '%s' and '%s'", unusedLocations[0], unusedLocations[1])
+		} else {
+			unusedSuffix = fmt.Sprintf("s '%s', and '%s'", strings.Join(unusedLocations[:count - 1], "', '"), unusedLocations[count - 1])
+		}
+		unusedSuffix = fmt.Sprintf(". Did not find keys in location%s.", unusedSuffix)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w%s%s", msg, err, loadSuffix, unusedSuffix)
+	} else {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s%s%s", msg, loadSuffix, unusedSuffix)
+	}
+}
+
 // Decrypt decrypts the EncryptedKey with the parsed or loaded identities, and
 // returns the result.
 func (key *MasterKey) Decrypt() ([]byte, error) {
 	var errs errSet
+	var unusedLocations []string
 	if len(key.parsedIdentities) == 0 {
 		var ids ParsedIdentities
-		ids, errs = key.loadIdentities()
+		ids, unusedLocations, errs = key.loadIdentities()
 		if len(ids) == 0 {
 			log.Info("Decryption failed")
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load age identities: %w", errs)
+			return nil, formatError("failed to load age identities", nil, errs, unusedLocations)
 		}
 		ids.ApplyToMasterKey(key)
 	}
@@ -225,11 +250,7 @@ func (key *MasterKey) Decrypt() ([]byte, error) {
 	r, err := age.Decrypt(ar, key.parsedIdentities...)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Info("Decryption failed")
-		var loadErrors string
-		if len(errs) > 0 {
-			loadErrors = fmt.Sprintf(". Errors while loading age identities: %s", errs.Error())
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create reader for decrypting sops data key with age: %w%s", err, loadErrors)
+		return nil, formatError("failed to create reader for decrypting sops data key with age", err, errs, unusedLocations)
 	}
 
 	var b bytes.Buffer
@@ -269,29 +290,55 @@ func (key *MasterKey) TypeToIdentifier() string {
 // private key from the SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv environment variable. If the
 // environment variable is not present, it will fall back to `~/.ssh/id_ed25519`
 // or `~/.ssh/id_rsa`. If no age SSH identity is found, it will return nil.
-func loadAgeSSHIdentity() (age.Identity, error) {
+func loadAgeSSHIdentities() ([]age.Identity, []string, errSet) {
+	var identities []age.Identity
+	var unusedLocations []string
+	var errs errSet
+
 	sshKeyFilePath, ok := os.LookupEnv(SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv)
 	if ok {
-		return parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshKeyFilePath)
+		identity, err := parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshKeyFilePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+		} else {
+			identities = append(identities, identity)
+		}
+	} else {
+		unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv)
 	}
 
 	userHomeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-	if err != nil || userHomeDir == "" {
+	if err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+	} else if userHomeDir == "" {
 		log.Warnf("could not determine the user home directory: %v", err)
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
-	sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath := filepath.Join(userHomeDir, ".ssh", "id_ed25519")
-	if _, err := os.Stat(sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath); err == nil {
-		return parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath)
-	}
+	} else {
+		sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath := filepath.Join(userHomeDir, ".ssh", "id_ed25519")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath); err == nil {
+			identity, err := parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+			} else {
+				identities = append(identities, identity)
+			}
+		} else {
+			unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, sshEd25519PrivateKeyPath)
+		}
 
-	sshRsaPrivateKeyPath := filepath.Join(userHomeDir, ".ssh", "id_rsa")
-	if _, err := os.Stat(sshRsaPrivateKeyPath); err == nil {
-		return parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshRsaPrivateKeyPath)
+		sshRsaPrivateKeyPath := filepath.Join(userHomeDir, ".ssh", "id_rsa")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(sshRsaPrivateKeyPath); err == nil {
+			identity, err := parseSSHIdentityFromPrivateKeyFile(sshRsaPrivateKeyPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+			} else {
+				identities = append(identities, identity)
+			}
+		} else {
+			unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, sshRsaPrivateKeyPath)
+		}
 	}
 
-	return nil, nil
+	return identities, unusedLocations, errs
 }
 
 func getUserConfigDir() (string, error) {
@@ -307,22 +354,15 @@ func getUserConfigDir() (string, error) {
 // environment configurations (e.g. SopsAgeKeyEnv, SopsAgeKeyFileEnv,
 // SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv, SopsAgeKeyUserConfigPath). It will load all
 // found references, and expects at least one configuration to be present.
-func (key *MasterKey) loadIdentities() (ParsedIdentities, errSet) {
-	var identities ParsedIdentities
-
-	var errs errSet
-
-	sshIdentity, err := loadAgeSSHIdentity()
-	if err != nil {
-		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to get SSH identity: %w", err))
-	} else if sshIdentity != nil {
-		identities = append(identities, sshIdentity)
-	}
+func (key *MasterKey) loadIdentities() (ParsedIdentities, []string, errSet) {
+	identities, unusedLocations, errs := loadAgeSSHIdentities()
 
 	var readers = make(map[string]io.Reader, 0)
 
 	if ageKey, ok := os.LookupEnv(SopsAgeKeyEnv); ok {
 		readers[SopsAgeKeyEnv] = strings.NewReader(ageKey)
+	} else {
+		unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, SopsAgeKeyEnv)
 	}
 
 	if ageKeyFile, ok := os.LookupEnv(SopsAgeKeyFileEnv); ok {
@@ -333,6 +373,8 @@ func (key *MasterKey) loadIdentities() (ParsedIdentities, errSet) {
 			defer f.Close()
 			readers[SopsAgeKeyFileEnv] = f
 		}
+	} else {
+		unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, SopsAgeKeyFileEnv)
 	}
 
 	if ageKeyCmd, ok := os.LookupEnv(SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv); ok {
@@ -347,6 +389,8 @@ func (key *MasterKey) loadIdentities() (ParsedIdentities, errSet) {
 				readers[SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv] = bytes.NewReader(out)
 			}
 		}
+	} else {
+		unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv)
 	}
 
 	userConfigDir, err := getUserConfigDir()
@@ -358,23 +402,25 @@ func (key *MasterKey) loadIdentities() (ParsedIdentities, errSet) {
 		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to open file: %w", err))
 		} else if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) && len(readers) == 0 && len(identities) == 0 {
-			// If we have no other readers, presence of the file is required.
-			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("failed to open file: %w", err))
+			unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, ageKeyFilePath)
 		} else if err == nil {
 			defer f.Close()
 			readers[ageKeyFilePath] = f
 		}
 	}
 
-	for n, r := range readers {
-		ids, err := unwrapIdentities(n, r)
+	for location, r := range readers {
+		ids, err := unwrapIdentities(location, r)
 		if err != nil {
 			errs = append(errs, err)
 		} else {
 			identities = append(identities, ids...)
+			if len(ids) == 0 {
+				unusedLocations = append(unusedLocations, location)
+			}
 		}
 	}
-	return identities, errs
+	return identities, unusedLocations, errs
 }
 
 // parseRecipient attempts to parse a string containing an encoded age public
diff --git a/age/keysource_test.go b/age/keysource_test.go
index 893da023f..94b44cdc9 100644
--- a/age/keysource_test.go
+++ b/age/keysource_test.go
@@ -369,9 +369,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyEnv, mockIdentity)
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 1)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run(SopsAgeKeyEnv+" multiple", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -382,9 +383,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyEnv, mockIdentity+"\n"+mockOtherIdentity)
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 2)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run(SopsAgeKeyFileEnv, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -398,9 +400,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyFileEnv, keyPath)
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 1)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run(SopsAgeKeyUserConfigPath, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -416,9 +419,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(keyPath), 0o700))
 		assert.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(keyPath, []byte(mockIdentity), 0o644))
 
-		got, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 1)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 6)
 	})
 
 	t.Run(SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -435,20 +439,20 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeSshPrivateKeyFileEnv, keyPath)
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 1)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("no identity", func(t *testing.T) {
 		tmpDir := t.TempDir()
 		overwriteUserConfigDir(t, tmpDir)
 
-		got, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
-		assert.Len(t, errs, 1)
-		assert.Error(t, errs[0])
-		assert.ErrorContains(t, errs[0], "failed to open file")
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
+		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Nil(t, got)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 7)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("multiple identities", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -468,9 +472,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(keyPath2, []byte(mockOtherIdentity), 0o644))
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyFileEnv, keyPath2)
 
-		got, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := (&MasterKey{}).loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 2)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("parsing error", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -481,11 +486,12 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyEnv, "invalid")
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 1)
 		assert.Error(t, errs[0])
 		assert.ErrorContains(t, errs[0], fmt.Sprintf("failed to parse '%s' age identities", SopsAgeKeyEnv))
 		assert.Nil(t, got)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run(SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -496,9 +502,10 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv, "echo '"+mockIdentity+"'")
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
 		assert.Len(t, errs, 0)
 		assert.Len(t, got, 1)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 5)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("cmd error", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -509,11 +516,12 @@ func TestMasterKey_loadIdentities(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv(SopsAgeKeyCmdEnv, "meow")
 
 		key := &MasterKey{}
-		got, errs := key.loadIdentities()
-		assert.Len(t, errs, 2)
+		got, unusedLocations, errs := key.loadIdentities()
+		assert.Len(t, errs, 1)
 		assert.Error(t, errs[0])
 		assert.ErrorContains(t, errs[0], "failed to execute command meow")
 		assert.Nil(t, got)
+		assert.Len(t, unusedLocations, 6)
 	})
 }