diff --git a/mllib/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ml/util/SchemaUtils.scala b/mllib/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ml/util/SchemaUtils.scala
index 7cd53c6d7ef79..76f651488aef9 100644
--- a/mllib/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ml/util/SchemaUtils.scala
+++ b/mllib/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ml/util/SchemaUtils.scala
@@ -32,10 +32,15 @@ private[spark] object SchemaUtils {
    * @param colName  column name
    * @param dataType  required column data type
    */
-  def checkColumnType(schema: StructType, colName: String, dataType: DataType): Unit = {
+  def checkColumnType(
+      schema: StructType,
+      colName: String,
+      dataType: DataType,
+      msg: String = ""): Unit = {
     val actualDataType = schema(colName).dataType
+    val message = if (msg != null && msg.trim.length > 0) " " + msg else ""
     require(actualDataType.equals(dataType),
-      s"Column $colName must be of type $dataType but was actually $actualDataType.")
+      s"Column $colName must be of type $dataType but was actually $actualDataType.$message")
   }
 
   /**