diff --git a/include/toml11/fwd/error_info_fwd.hpp b/include/toml11/fwd/error_info_fwd.hpp
index 5d30b86..5b8600c 100644
--- a/include/toml11/fwd/error_info_fwd.hpp
+++ b/include/toml11/fwd/error_info_fwd.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ struct error_info
     std::string suffix_; // hint or something like that
 };
 
+// forward decl
+template<typename TypeConfig>
+class basic_value;
+
 namespace detail
 {
 inline error_info make_error_info_rec(error_info e)
@@ -53,6 +57,10 @@ inline error_info make_error_info_rec(error_info e, std::string s)
     return e;
 }
 
+template<typename TC, typename ... Ts>
+error_info make_error_info_rec(error_info e,
+        const basic_value<TC>& v, std::string msg, Ts&& ... tail);
+
 template<typename ... Ts>
 error_info make_error_info_rec(error_info e,
         source_location loc, std::string msg, Ts&& ... tail)
diff --git a/include/toml11/value.hpp b/include/toml11/value.hpp
index fe1720d..6139ad9 100644
--- a/include/toml11/value.hpp
+++ b/include/toml11/value.hpp
@@ -2026,12 +2026,16 @@ operator>=(const basic_value<TC>& lhs, const basic_value<TC>& rhs)
 }
 
 // error_info helper
+namespace detail
+{
 template<typename TC, typename ... Ts>
 error_info make_error_info_rec(error_info e,
         const basic_value<TC>& v, std::string msg, Ts&& ... tail)
 {
     return make_error_info_rec(std::move(e), v.location(), std::move(msg), std::forward<Ts>(tail)...);
 }
+} // detail
+
 template<typename TC, typename ... Ts>
 error_info make_error_info(
         std::string title, const basic_value<TC>& v, std::string msg, Ts&& ... tail)
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ca04aa..d95901e 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 set(TOML11_TEST_NAMES
     test_comments
     test_datetime
+    test_error_message
     test_find
     test_find_or
     test_format_integer
diff --git a/tests/test_error_message.cpp b/tests/test_error_message.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..567dc4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_error_message.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#define DOCTEST_CONFIG_IMPLEMENT_WITH_MAIN
+#include "doctest.h"
+
+#include <toml.hpp>
+
+TEST_CASE("testing custom error message using source_location")
+{
+    const toml::value root = toml::parse_str(R"(
+        range = [0, 42]
+        val = 54
+    )");
+
+    const auto& lower = root.at("range").at(0);
+    const auto& upper = root.at("range").at(1);
+    const auto& val = root.at("val");
+
+    const auto err = toml::make_error_info("val not in range",
+            lower.location(), "lower limit is defined here",
+            upper.location(), "upper limit is defined here",
+            val.location(),   "this is not in the range",
+            "Hint: upper limit is inclusive"
+        );
+
+    CHECK_EQ(err.title(), "val not in range");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().size(), 3);
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(0).second, "lower limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(1).second, "upper limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(2).second, "this is not in the range"   );
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("testing custom error message using value")
+{
+    const toml::value root = toml::parse_str(R"(
+        range = [0, 42]
+        val = 54
+    )");
+
+    const auto& lower = root.at("range").at(0);
+    const auto& upper = root.at("range").at(1);
+    const auto& val = root.at("val");
+
+    const auto err = toml::make_error_info("val not in range",
+            lower, "lower limit is defined here",
+            upper, "upper limit is defined here",
+            val,   "this is not in the range",
+            "Hint: upper limit is inclusive"
+        );
+
+    CHECK_EQ(err.title(), "val not in range");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().size(), 3);
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(0).second, "lower limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(1).second, "upper limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(2).second, "this is not in the range"   );
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("testing custom error message using source_location and value")
+{
+    const toml::value root = toml::parse_str(R"(
+        range = [0, 42]
+        val = 54
+    )");
+
+    const auto& lower = root.at("range").at(0);
+    const auto& upper = root.at("range").at(1);
+    const auto& val = root.at("val");
+
+    const auto err = toml::make_error_info("val not in range",
+            lower,          "lower limit is defined here",
+            upper,          "upper limit is defined here",
+            val.location(), "this is not in the range",
+            "Hint: upper limit is inclusive"
+        );
+
+    CHECK_EQ(err.title(), "val not in range");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().size(), 3);
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(0).second, "lower limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(1).second, "upper limit is defined here");
+    CHECK_EQ(err.locations().at(2).second, "this is not in the range"   );
+}