diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/lib.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/lib.rs
index 65e00705121a7..cd9fbba89b9de 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/lib.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/lib.rs
@@ -181,8 +181,10 @@ fn require_c_abi_if_variadic(tcx: TyCtxt,
                              abi: Abi,
                              span: Span) {
     if decl.variadic && abi != Abi::C {
-        span_err!(tcx.sess, span, E0045,
-                  "variadic function must have C calling convention");
+        struct_span_err!(tcx.sess, span, E0045,
+                  "variadic function must have C calling convention")
+            .span_label(span, &format!("variadics require C calling conventions"))
+            .emit()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/E0045.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/E0045.rs
index 2a731596b4be8..eae951334a443 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/E0045.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/E0045.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 // except according to those terms.
 
 extern "Rust" { fn foo(x: u8, ...); } //~ ERROR E0045
+//~^ NOTE variadics require C calling conventions
 
 fn main() {
 }