diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/build.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/build.rs
index 27a9b83d836..6f6d65ee89c 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/build.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/build.rs
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ fn compile_success_empty_{test_name}() {{
     }}
 
     // `compile_success_empty` tests should be able to compile down to an empty circuit.
-    let json: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("JSON was not well-formatted");
+    let json: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).unwrap_or_else(|_| {{
+        panic!("JSON was not well-formatted {{:?}}",output.stdout)
+    }});
     let num_opcodes = &json["programs"][0]["acir_opcodes"];
     assert_eq!(num_opcodes.as_u64().unwrap(), 0);
 }}