diff --git a/cmd/publisher/commands/publish.go b/cmd/publisher/commands/publish.go
index 902c42139..cccf2c87f 100644
--- a/cmd/publisher/commands/publish.go
+++ b/cmd/publisher/commands/publish.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func PublishCommand(args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Publish to registry
-	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "Publishing to %s...\n", registryURL)
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "Publishing %s@%s to %s...\n", serverJSON.Name, serverJSON.Version, registryURL)
 	response, statusCode, err := publishToRegistry(registryURL, serverData, token)
 	if err != nil {
 		// If publish failed with 422, call validate endpoint to show detailed errors
diff --git a/cmd/publisher/commands/publish_test.go b/cmd/publisher/commands/publish_test.go
index 98c19a323..745198d2e 100644
--- a/cmd/publisher/commands/publish_test.go
+++ b/cmd/publisher/commands/publish_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,36 @@ func TestPublishCommand_Success(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 }
 
+func TestPublishCommand_PrintsSubmittedIdentityOnFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	server := SetupMockRegistryServer(t, func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		http.Error(w, "duplicate version", http.StatusBadRequest)
+	}, nil)
+	SetupTestToken(t, server.URL, "test-token")
+	CreateTestServerJSON(t, apiv0.ServerJSON{
+		Schema:      model.CurrentSchemaURL,
+		Name:        "io.github.BargLabs/cejel",
+		Description: "A test server",
+		Version:     "0.4.5",
+	})
+
+	output, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "stdout")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	originalStdout := os.Stdout
+	os.Stdout = output
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Stdout = originalStdout
+		_ = output.Close()
+	})
+
+	err = commands.PublishCommand(nil)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "duplicate version")
+	_, err = output.Seek(0, io.SeekStart)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(output)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Publishing io.github.BargLabs/cejel@0.4.5 to "+server.URL+"...\n", string(data))
+}
+
 func TestPublishCommand_PreservesNonASCIIDescription(t *testing.T) {
 	server := SetupMockRegistryServer(t,
 		func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
diff --git a/internal/api/handlers/v0/publish_test.go b/internal/api/handlers/v0/publish_test.go
index 94502bead..6b5c68cc6 100644
--- a/internal/api/handlers/v0/publish_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/handlers/v0/publish_test.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func TestPublishEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedError:  "You do not have permission to publish this server",
 		},
 		{
-			name: "registry service error",
+			name: "duplicate version includes submitted server identity",
 			requestBody: apiv0.ServerJSON{
 				Schema:      model.CurrentSchemaURL,
 				Name:        "example/test-server",
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func TestPublishEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				_, _ = registry.CreateServer(context.Background(), &existingServer)
 			},
 			expectedStatus: http.StatusBadRequest,
-			expectedError:  "invalid version: cannot publish duplicate version",
+			expectedError:  "invalid version: cannot publish duplicate version: example/test-server@1.0.0 already exists",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "package validation success - MCPB package",
diff --git a/internal/service/registry_service.go b/internal/service/registry_service.go
index 16a910002..4bf6e1945 100644
--- a/internal/service/registry_service.go
+++ b/internal/service/registry_service.go
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func (s *registryServiceImpl) createServerInTransaction(ctx context.Context, tx
 			return e
 		}
 		if versionExists {
-			return database.ErrInvalidVersion
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s@%s already exists", database.ErrInvalidVersion, serverJSON.Name, serverJSON.Version)
 		}
 		currentLatest, e = s.db.GetCurrentLatestVersion(ctx, tx, serverJSON.Name)
 		if e != nil && !errors.Is(e, database.ErrNotFound) {