diff --git a/servers/slapd/add.c b/servers/slapd/add.c
index 896eae65ea..c35cafc96f 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/add.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/add.c
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ slap_mods2entry(
 			snprintf( textbuf, textlen,
 				"attribute '%s' provided more than once",
 				mods->sml_desc->ad_cname.bv_val );
+			*text = textbuf;
 			return LDAP_TYPE_OR_VALUE_EXISTS;
 #endif
 		}
@@ -500,6 +501,7 @@ slap_mods2entry(
 						snprintf( textbuf, textlen,
 							"%s: value #%d provided more than once",
 							mods->sml_desc->ad_cname.bv_val, j );
+						*text = textbuf;
 						return LDAP_TYPE_OR_VALUE_EXISTS;
 
 					} else if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
diff --git a/servers/slapd/modify.c b/servers/slapd/modify.c
index c9c594474f..90c7d3c3a0 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/modify.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/modify.c
@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@ slap_mods_no_repl_user_mod_check(
 				snprintf( textbuf, textlen,
 					"attribute '%s' provided more than once",
 					mods->sml_desc->ad_cname.bv_val );
+				*text = textbuf;
 				return LDAP_TYPE_OR_VALUE_EXISTS;
 			}
 		}