diff --git a/pkg/compose/publish.go b/pkg/compose/publish.go
index b3616030df..55ebe8cf48 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/publish.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/publish.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (s *composeService) createLayers(ctx context.Context, project *types.Projec
 	for _, file := range project.ComposeFiles {
 		data, err := processFile(ctx, file, project, extFiles, envFiles)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to process compose file %s: %w", file, err)
 		}
 
 		layerDescriptor := oci.DescriptorForComposeFile(file, data)
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func processExtends(ctx context.Context, project *types.Project, extFiles map[st
 	for xf, hash := range extFiles {
 		data, err := processFile(ctx, xf, project, moreExtFiles, envFiles)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to process compose file %s: %w", xf, err)
 		}
 
 		layerDescriptor := oci.DescriptorForComposeFile(hash, data)
diff --git a/pkg/compose/publish_test.go b/pkg/compose/publish_test.go
index 79b3884da5..841919fc46 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/publish_test.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/publish_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,26 @@ services:
 	}, cmp.Ignore()))
 }
 
+// a processFile failure must say which file it came from: a project can
+// carry many compose files and its extends references add more, so an
+// unattributed error leaves the user guessing which one to fix
+func Test_createLayers_error_includes_file_name(t *testing.T) {
+	project := &types.Project{Name: "test", WorkingDir: t.TempDir()}
+	project.ComposeFiles = []string{filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "missing.yaml")}
+
+	service := &composeService{}
+	_, err := service.createLayers(t.Context(), project, api.PublishOptions{})
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "failed to process compose file")
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "missing.yaml")
+}
+
+func Test_processExtends_error_includes_file_name(t *testing.T) {
+	extFile := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "missing.yaml")
+	_, err := processExtends(t.Context(), &types.Project{Name: "test"}, map[string]string{extFile: "deadbeef"})
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "failed to process compose file")
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "missing.yaml")
+}
+
 func Test_preChecks_sensitive_data_detected_decline(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	envPath := dir + "/secrets.env"