diff --git a/mmcv/utils/registry.py b/mmcv/utils/registry.py
index 7f96b6cc67..5894ad25f2 100644
--- a/mmcv/utils/registry.py
+++ b/mmcv/utils/registry.py
@@ -175,5 +175,8 @@ def build_from_cfg(cfg, registry, default_args=None):
     else:
         raise TypeError(
             f'type must be a str or valid type, but got {type(obj_type)}')
-
-    return obj_cls(**args)
+    try:
+        return obj_cls(**args)
+    except Exception as e:
+        # Normal TypeError does not print class name.
+        raise type(e)(f'{obj_cls.__name__}: {e}')
diff --git a/tests/test_utils/test_registry.py b/tests/test_utils/test_registry.py
index 3106c39e56..33d49c5f48 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils/test_registry.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils/test_registry.py
@@ -221,3 +221,8 @@ def __init__(self, depth, stages=4):
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         cfg = dict(type='ResNet', depth=50)
         model = mmcv.build_from_cfg(cfg, BACKBONES, default_args=0)
+
+    # incorrect arguments
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        cfg = dict(type='ResNet', non_existing_arg=50)
+        model = mmcv.build_from_cfg(cfg, BACKBONES)