diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/commands/table.c b/src/backend/distributed/commands/table.c
index 4c32ae50f..ebef80ad5 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/commands/table.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/commands/table.c
@@ -3993,10 +3993,12 @@ ErrorIfTableHasUnsupportedIdentityColumn(Oid relationId)
 
 		if (attributeForm->attidentity && attributeForm->atttypid != INT8OID)
 		{
-			relation_close(relation, AccessShareLock);
+			char *qualifiedRelationName = generate_qualified_relation_name(relationId);
 			ereport(ERROR, (errcode(ERRCODE_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED),
 							errmsg(
-								"cannot complete operation on a table with smallint/int identity column")));
+								"cannot complete operation on %s with smallint/int identity column", qualifiedRelationName),
+							errhint(
+								"Use bigint identity column instead.")));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/generated_identity.out b/src/test/regress/expected/generated_identity.out
index 6500baf57..f47675388 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/generated_identity.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/generated_identity.out
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@ CREATE TABLE smallint_identity_column (
     a smallint GENERATED BY DEFAULT AS IDENTITY
 );
 SELECT create_distributed_table('smallint_identity_column', 'a');
-ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with smallint/int identity column
+ERROR:  cannot complete operation on generated_identities.smallint_identity_column with smallint/int identity column
+HINT:  Use bigint identity column instead.
 SELECT create_distributed_table_concurrently('smallint_identity_column', 'a');
-ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with smallint/int identity column
+ERROR:  cannot complete operation on generated_identities.smallint_identity_column with smallint/int identity column
+HINT:  Use bigint identity column instead.
 SELECT create_reference_table('smallint_identity_column');
 ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with identity column
 SELECT citus_add_local_table_to_metadata('smallint_identity_column');
@@ -38,9 +40,11 @@ CREATE TABLE int_identity_column (
     a int GENERATED BY DEFAULT AS IDENTITY
 );
 SELECT create_distributed_table('int_identity_column', 'a');
-ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with smallint/int identity column
+ERROR:  cannot complete operation on generated_identities.int_identity_column with smallint/int identity column
+HINT:  Use bigint identity column instead.
 SELECT create_distributed_table_concurrently('int_identity_column', 'a');
-ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with smallint/int identity column
+ERROR:  cannot complete operation on generated_identities.int_identity_column with smallint/int identity column
+HINT:  Use bigint identity column instead.
 SELECT create_reference_table('int_identity_column');
 ERROR:  cannot complete operation on a table with identity column
 SELECT citus_add_local_table_to_metadata('int_identity_column');