diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 350ff0259..38f4517a9 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2008-08-19  Moritz Bunkus  <moritz@bunkus.org>
 
+	* mkvmerge: enhancement: mmg outputs a more informative error
+	message for known but unsupported input file types (e.g. ASF, FLV,
+	MPEG TS) instead of the cryptic "file identification failed".
+
 	* mkvmerge: bug fix: The VobSub reader would sometimes read too
 	many bytes for a single SPU packet. Part of a fix for bug 245.
 
diff --git a/src/input/r_asf.cpp b/src/input/r_asf.cpp
index e1b897f69..a495a0f01 100644
--- a/src/input/r_asf.cpp
+++ b/src/input/r_asf.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ asf_reader_c::probe_file(mm_io_c *io,
     io->setFilePointer(0, seek_beginning);
 
     if (get_uint32_be(buf) == 0x3026b275) {
-      mxerror(mxsprintf("The file '%s' is an ASF/WMV container which is not supported by mkvmerge.\n", io->get_file_name().c_str()).c_str());
+      id_result_container_unsupported(io->get_file_name(), "Windows Media (ASF/WMV)");
       // Never reached:
       return 1;
     }
diff --git a/src/input/r_flac.cpp b/src/input/r_flac.cpp
index 99a481c87..4a8ea2ee7 100644
--- a/src/input/r_flac.cpp
+++ b/src/input/r_flac.cpp
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ flac_reader_c::probe_file(mm_io_c *io,
   }
   if (strncmp((char *)data, "fLaC", 4))
     return 0;
-  mxerror("mkvmerge has not been compiled with FLAC support.\n");
+  id_result_container_unsupported(io->get_file_name(), "FLAC");
   return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/input/r_flac.h b/src/input/r_flac.h
index 35e69a000..559f3bde3 100644
--- a/src/input/r_flac.h
+++ b/src/input/r_flac.h
@@ -102,9 +102,12 @@ protected:
 
 #else  // HAVE_FLAC_FORMAT_H
 
-class flac_reader_c {
+class flac_reader_c: public generic_reader_c {
 public:
   static int probe_file(mm_io_c *file, int64_t size);
+
+public:
+  flac_reader_c(track_info_c &n_ti): generic_reader_c(n_ti) { };
 };
 
 #endif // HAVE_FLAC_FORMAT_H
diff --git a/src/input/r_flv.cpp b/src/input/r_flv.cpp
index f85814f01..b8cf52957 100644
--- a/src/input/r_flv.cpp
+++ b/src/input/r_flv.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ flv_reader_c::probe_file(mm_io_c *io,
     io->setFilePointer(0, seek_beginning);
 
     if (!memcmp(buf, "FLV", 3)) {
-      mxerror(mxsprintf("The file '%s' is a Macromedia Flash Video (FLV) container which is not supported by mkvmerge.\n", io->get_file_name().c_str()).c_str());
+      id_result_container_unsupported(io->get_file_name(), "Macromedia Flash Video (FLV)");
       // Never reached:
       return 1;
     }
diff --git a/src/input/r_mpeg.cpp b/src/input/r_mpeg.cpp
index 7b999d793..5b09ff172 100644
--- a/src/input/r_mpeg.cpp
+++ b/src/input/r_mpeg.cpp
@@ -1380,8 +1380,11 @@ mpeg_ts_reader_c::probe_file(mm_io_c *io,
           ++num_startcodes;
         }
 
-        if (TS_CONSECUTIVE_PACKETS <= num_startcodes)
+        if (TS_CONSECUTIVE_PACKETS <= num_startcodes) {
+          id_result_container_unsupported(io->get_file_name(), "MPEG Transport Stream (TS)");
+          // Never reached:
           return true;
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/input/r_mpeg.h b/src/input/r_mpeg.h
index e6fcc223d..ffbe7edc1 100644
--- a/src/input/r_mpeg.h
+++ b/src/input/r_mpeg.h
@@ -163,12 +163,15 @@ private:
   void init_reader();
 };
 
-class mpeg_ts_reader_c {
+class mpeg_ts_reader_c: public generic_reader_c {
 protected:
   static int potential_packet_sizes[];
 
 public:
   static bool probe_file(mm_io_c *io, int64_t size);
+
+public:
+  mpeg_ts_reader_c(track_info_c &n_ti): generic_reader_c(n_ti) { };
 };
 
 #endif // __R_MPEG_H
diff --git a/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp b/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
index 10c582f0f..8f353f205 100644
--- a/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
+++ b/src/merge/mkvmerge.cpp
@@ -359,14 +359,14 @@ identify(const string &filename) {
   track_info_c ti;
   filelist_t file;
 
-  file.name = filename;
-  get_file_type(file);
-  ti.fname = file.name;
+  verbose           = 0;
+  suppress_warnings = true;
+  identifying       = true;
+  file.name         = filename;
 
-  if (FILE_TYPE_MPEG_TS == file.type)
-    mxerror(_("The file '%s' has been detected as a MPEG transport stream. "
-              "This file format is not supported by mkvmerge.\n"),
-            file.name.c_str());
+  get_file_type(file);
+
+  ti.fname = file.name;
 
   if (file.type == FILE_TYPE_IS_UNKNOWN)
     mxerror(_("File %s has unknown type. Please have a look "
@@ -379,9 +379,6 @@ identify(const string &filename) {
 
   files.push_back(file);
 
-  verbose = 0;
-  identifying = true;
-  suppress_warnings = true;
   create_readers();
 
   files[0].reader->identify();
diff --git a/src/merge/pr_generic.cpp b/src/merge/pr_generic.cpp
index 432ceb3dc..20b824aec 100644
--- a/src/merge/pr_generic.cpp
+++ b/src/merge/pr_generic.cpp
@@ -1400,6 +1400,16 @@ generic_reader_c::flush_packetizers() {
     (*it)->flush();
 }
 
+void
+generic_reader_c::id_result_container_unsupported(const string &filename,
+                                                  const string &info) {
+  if (identifying) {
+    mxinfo("File '%s': unsupported container: %s\n", filename.c_str(), info.c_str());
+    mxexit(3);
+  } else
+    mxerror("The file '%s' is a non-supported file type (%s).\n", filename.c_str(), info.c_str());
+}
+
 void
 generic_reader_c::id_result_container(const string &info,
                                       const string &verbose_info) {
diff --git a/src/merge/pr_generic.h b/src/merge/pr_generic.h
index 6976235a4..cd0285952 100644
--- a/src/merge/pr_generic.h
+++ b/src/merge/pr_generic.h
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ protected:
   virtual void id_result_track(int64_t track_id, const string &type, const string &info, const string &verbose_info = empty_string);
   virtual void id_result_track(int64_t track_id, const string &type, const string &info, const vector<string> &verbose_info);
   virtual void id_result_attachment(int64_t attachment_id, const string &type, int size, const string &file_name = empty_string, const string &description = empty_string);
+
+  static void id_result_container_unsupported(const string &filename, const string &info);
 };
 
 enum connection_result_e {
diff --git a/src/mmg/tab_input.cpp b/src/mmg/tab_input.cpp
index c4e928a2e..6a906d3f8 100644
--- a/src/mmg/tab_input.cpp
+++ b/src/mmg/tab_input.cpp
@@ -365,7 +365,21 @@ tab_input::add_file(const wxString &file_name,
     wxLogMessage(wxT("identify 1: errors[%d]: ``%s''"), i, errors[i].c_str());
 
   wxRemoveFile(opt_file_name);
-  if ((result < 0) || (result > 1)) {
+
+  if (3 == result) {
+    wxString container = wxT("unknown");
+
+    if (output.Count() && (0 <= (pos = output[0].Find(wxT("container:")))))
+      container = output[0].Mid(pos + 11);
+
+    wxString info;
+    info.Printf(wxT("The file is an unsupported container format (%s)."), container.c_str());
+    break_line(info, 60);
+
+    wxMessageBox(info, wxT("Unsupported format"), wxOK | wxCENTER | wxICON_ERROR);
+    return;
+
+  } else if ((0 > result) || (1 < result)) {
     name.Printf(wxT("File identification failed for '%s'. Return code: "
                     "%d\n\n"), file_name.c_str(), result);
     for (i = 0; i < output.Count(); i++)
@@ -376,7 +390,8 @@ tab_input::add_file(const wxString &file_name,
     wxMessageBox(name, wxT("File identification failed"), wxOK | wxCENTER |
                  wxICON_ERROR);
     return;
-  } else if (result > 0) {
+
+  } else if (0 < result) {
     name.Printf(wxT("File identification failed. Return code: %d. Errno: %d "
                     "(%s). Make sure that you've selected a mkvmerge "
                     "executable on the 'settings' tab."), result, errno,