diff --git a/src/runtime/src/comms.rs b/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
index e6aaa74..fcc21e1 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/comms.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use core::fmt;
+use core::{fmt, slice, str};
 use core::cell::RefCell;
 use alloc::{vec, vec::Vec, string::String, collections::BTreeMap, rc::Rc};
 use log::{info, warn, error};
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ use crate::rpc;
 use crate::moninj;
 use crate::mgmt;
 use crate::analyzer;
-use crate::rtio_mgt;
+use crate::rtio_mgt::{self, resolve_channel_name};
 #[cfg(has_drtio)]
 use crate::pl;
 
@@ -246,7 +246,16 @@ async fn handle_run_kernel(stream: Option<&TcpStream>, control: &Rc<RefCell<kern
                         for exception in exceptions.iter() {
                             let exception = exception.as_ref().unwrap();
                             write_i32(stream, exception.id as i32).await?;
-                            write_exception_string(stream, exception.message).await?;
+
+                            if exception.message.len() == usize::MAX { // exception with host string
+                                write_exception_string(stream, exception.message).await?;
+                            } else {
+                                let msg = str::from_utf8(unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts(exception.message.as_ptr(), exception.message.len()) })
+                                    .unwrap()
+                                    .replace("{rtio_channel_info:0}", &format!("{}:{}", exception.param[0], resolve_channel_name(exception.param[0] as u32)));
+                                write_exception_string(stream, unsafe { CSlice::new(msg.as_ptr(), msg.len()) }).await?;
+                            }
+
                             write_i64(stream, exception.param[0] as i64).await?;
                             write_i64(stream, exception.param[1] as i64).await?;
                             write_i64(stream, exception.param[2] as i64).await?;
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/kernel/dma.rs b/src/runtime/src/kernel/dma.rs
index 77bfaed..20cb87e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/kernel/dma.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/kernel/dma.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use crate::{
     pl::csr,
     artiq_raise,
     rtio,
-    rtio_mgt::resolve_channel_name,
 };
 use alloc::{vec::Vec, string::String, boxed::Box};
 use cslice::CSlice;
@@ -199,13 +198,13 @@ pub extern fn dma_playback(timestamp: i64, ptr: i32) {
             csr::rtio_dma::error_write(1);
             if error & 1 != 0 {
                 artiq_raise!("RTIOUnderflow",
-                    format!("RTIO underflow at {{0}} mu, channel {}:{}", channel, resolve_channel_name(channel as u32)),
-                    timestamp as i64, channel as i64, 0);
+                    "RTIO underflow at {1} mu, channel {rtio_channel_info:0}",
+                    channel as i64, timestamp as i64, 0);
             }
             if error & 2 != 0 {
                 artiq_raise!("RTIODestinationUnreachable",
-                    format!("RTIO destination unreachable, output, at {{0}} mu, channel {}:{}", channel, resolve_channel_name(channel as u32)),
-                    timestamp as i64, channel as i64, 0);
+                    "RTIO destination unreachable, output, at {1} mu, channel {rtio_channel_info:0}",
+                    channel as i64, timestamp as i64, 0);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
index 3de236f..fffb90e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
@@ -226,15 +226,15 @@ pub mod drtio {
                                 destination_set_up(routing_table, up_destinations, destination, false).await,
                             Ok(Packet::DestinationOkReply) => (),
                             Ok(Packet::DestinationSequenceErrorReply { channel }) =>{
-                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO sequence error involving channel 0x{:04x}", destination, channel);
+                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO sequence error involving channel {} 0x{:04x}", destination, resolve_channel_name(channel), channel);
                                 unsafe { SEEN_ASYNC_ERRORS |= ASYNC_ERROR_SEQUENCE_ERROR };
                             }
                             Ok(Packet::DestinationCollisionReply { channel }) =>{
-                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO collision involving channel 0x{:04x}", destination, channel);
+                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO collision involving channel {} 0x{:04x}", destination, resolve_channel_name(channel), channel);
                                 unsafe { SEEN_ASYNC_ERRORS |= ASYNC_ERROR_COLLISION };
                             }
                             Ok(Packet::DestinationBusyReply { channel }) =>{
-                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO busy error involving channel 0x{:04x}", destination, channel);
+                                error!("[DEST#{}] RTIO busy error involving channel {} 0x{:04x}", destination, resolve_channel_name(channel), channel);
                                 unsafe { SEEN_ASYNC_ERRORS |= ASYNC_ERROR_BUSY };
                             }
                             Ok(packet) => error!("[DEST#{}] received unexpected aux packet: {:?}", destination, packet),