diff --git a/llvm/lib/MC/MCParser/ELFAsmParser.cpp b/llvm/lib/MC/MCParser/ELFAsmParser.cpp
--- a/llvm/lib/MC/MCParser/ELFAsmParser.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/MC/MCParser/ELFAsmParser.cpp
@@ -278,6 +278,23 @@
   return false;
 }
 
+static std::string getSectionFlagString(unsigned flags) {
+  return (Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_ALLOC) != 0) ? "a" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_EXCLUDE) != 0) ? "e" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_EXECINSTR) != 0) ? "x" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_WRITE) != 0) ? "w" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_LINK_ORDER) != 0) ? "o" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_MERGE) != 0) ? "M" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_STRINGS) != 0) ? "S" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_TLS) != 0) ? "T" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::XCORE_SHF_CP_SECTION) != 0) ? "c" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::XCORE_SHF_DP_SECTION) != 0) ? "d" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_ARM_PURECODE) != 0) ? "y" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_HEX_GPREL) != 0) ? "s" : "") +
+          Twine(((flags & ELF::SHF_GROUP) != 0) ? "G" : ""))
+      .str();
+}
+
 static unsigned parseSectionFlags(StringRef flagsStr, bool *UseLastGroup) {
   unsigned flags = 0;
 
@@ -640,9 +657,12 @@
   if (Section->getType() != Type)
     Error(loc, "changed section type for " + SectionName + ", expected: 0x" +
                    utohexstr(Section->getType()));
-  if (Section->getFlags() != Flags)
-    Error(loc, "changed section flags for " + SectionName + ", expected: 0x" +
-                   utohexstr(Section->getFlags()));
+  if (Section->getFlags() != Flags) {
+    const unsigned ExpectedFlags = Section->getFlags();
+    const std::string ExpectedFlagsText = getSectionFlagString(ExpectedFlags);
+    Error(loc, "changed section flags for '" + SectionName + "', expected: \"" +
+                   ExpectedFlagsText + "\"");
+  }
   if (Section->getEntrySize() != Size)
     Error(loc, "changed section entsize for " + SectionName +
                    ", expected: " + Twine(Section->getEntrySize()));
diff --git a/llvm/test/MC/ELF/section-flags-changed.s b/llvm/test/MC/ELF/section-flags-changed.s
--- a/llvm/test/MC/ELF/section-flags-changed.s
+++ b/llvm/test/MC/ELF/section-flags-changed.s
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 foo:
 .section .foo,"ax",@progbits
 
-# CHECK: {{.*}}.s:[[# @LINE+1]]:1: error: changed section flags for .foo, expected: 0x6
+# CHECK: {{.*}}.s:[[# @LINE+1]]:1: error: changed section flags for '.foo', expected: "ax"
 .section .foo,"awx",@progbits
 
-# CHECK: {{.*}}.s:[[# @LINE+1]]:1: error: changed section flags for .foo, expected: 0x6
+# CHECK: {{.*}}.s:[[# @LINE+1]]:1: error: changed section flags for '.foo', expected: "ax"
 .pushsection .foo,"a",@progbits
 
 .pushsection .foo,"ax",@progbits