diff --git a/src/info.h b/src/info.h
index c355c2f95..eead0b4d1 100644
--- a/src/info.h
+++ b/src/info.h
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ public:
 
 	static PClassActor *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state);
 	static PClassActor *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state, PClassActor *info);
-	static FString StaticGetStateName(const FState *state);
+	static FString StaticGetStateName(const FState *state, PClassActor *info = nullptr);
 	static FRandom pr_statetics;
 
 };
diff --git a/src/p_states.cpp b/src/p_states.cpp
index 2fb9031cf..dcb5b75db 100644
--- a/src/p_states.cpp
+++ b/src/p_states.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,17 @@ PClassActor *FState::StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state, PClassActor *inf
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-FString FState::StaticGetStateName(const FState *state)
+FString FState::StaticGetStateName(const FState *state, PClassActor *info)
 {
 	auto so = FState::StaticFindStateOwner(state);
+	if (so == nullptr)
+	{
+		so = FState::StaticFindStateOwner(state, info);
+	}
+	if (so == nullptr)
+	{
+		return "<unknown>";
+	}
 	return FStringf("%s.%d", so->TypeName.GetChars(), int(state - so->GetStates()));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp b/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
index 3d21cbbf8..111afbccf 100644
--- a/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ static void CheckLabel(PClassActor *obj, FStateLabel *slb, int useflag, FName st
 		if (!(state->UseFlags & useflag))
 		{
 			GetStateSource(state).Message(MSG_ERROR, TEXTCOLOR_RED "%s references state %s as %s state, but this state is not flagged for use as %s.\n",
-				obj->TypeName.GetChars(), FState::StaticGetStateName(state).GetChars(), statename.GetChars(), descript);
+				obj->TypeName.GetChars(), FState::StaticGetStateName(state, obj).GetChars(), statename.GetChars(), descript);
 		}
 	}
 	if (slb->Children != nullptr)
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ static void CheckStates(PClassActor *obj)
 		if (state->NextState && (state->UseFlags & state->NextState->UseFlags) != state->UseFlags)
 		{
 			GetStateSource(state).Message(MSG_ERROR, TEXTCOLOR_RED "State %s links to a state with incompatible restrictions.\n",
-				FState::StaticGetStateName(state).GetChars());
+				FState::StaticGetStateName(state, obj).GetChars());
 		}
 	}
 }