diff --git a/system/host/fidl/lib/flat_ast.cpp b/system/host/fidl/lib/flat_ast.cpp
index d966a33..0d065d3 100644
--- a/system/host/fidl/lib/flat_ast.cpp
+++ b/system/host/fidl/lib/flat_ast.cpp
@@ -306,7 +306,9 @@
 }
 
 bool Library::Fail(const SourceLocation& location, StringView message) {
-    auto formatted_message = location.position() + ": " + std::string(message) + "\n";
+    // Many editors and IDEs recognize errors in the form of
+    // filename:linenumber:column: error: descriptive-test-here\n
+    auto formatted_message = location.position() + ": error: " + std::string(message) + "\n";
     error_reporter_->ReportError(std::move(formatted_message));
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/system/host/fidl/lib/parser.cpp b/system/host/fidl/lib/parser.cpp
index 812ad4e..c274ab3 100644
--- a/system/host/fidl/lib/parser.cpp
+++ b/system/host/fidl/lib/parser.cpp
@@ -101,10 +101,10 @@
             squiggle.resize(line_size);
         }
 
-        std::string error = "found unexpected token in file ";
-        error += token_location.source_file().filename();
-        error += " on line " + line_number;
-        error += " column " + column_number + ":\n";
+        // Many editors and IDEs recognize errors in the form of
+        // filename:linenumber:column: error: descriptive-test-here\n
+        std::string error = token_location.position();
+        error += ": error: found unexpected token\n";
         error += surrounding_line;
         error += squiggle + "\n";