diff --git a/pkg/golinters/lll/lll.go b/pkg/golinters/lll/lll.go
index 15edccca..67f89eec 100644
--- a/pkg/golinters/lll/lll.go
+++ b/pkg/golinters/lll/lll.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func getLLLIssuesForFile(filename string, maxLineLen int, tabSpaces string) ([]r
 					Filename: filename,
 					Line:     lineNumber,
 				},
-				Text:       fmt.Sprintf("line is %d characters", lineLen),
+				Text:       fmt.Sprintf("the line is %d characters long, which exceeds the maximum of %d characters.", lineLen, maxLineLen),
 				FromLinter: linterName,
 			})
 		}
diff --git a/test/run_test.go b/test/run_test.go
index 9040f0ff..ed99473b 100644
--- a/test/run_test.go
+++ b/test/run_test.go
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func TestLineDirective(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			configPath: "testdata/linedirective/lll.yml",
 			targetPath: "linedirective",
-			expected:   "line is 57 characters (lll)",
+			expected:   "the line is 57 characters long, which exceeds the maximum of 50 characters. (lll)",
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "misspell",