diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/basename.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/basename.rs
index 59210d41d7..930c17a6f2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/basename.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/basename.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ impl WholeStreamCommand for PathBasename {
         args: CommandArgs,
         registry: &CommandRegistry,
     ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let tag = args.call_info.name_tag.clone();
         let (DefaultArguments { rest }, input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
-        operate(input, rest, &action).await
+        operate(input, rest, &action, tag.span).await
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/exists.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/exists.rs
index 9fb20d74d1..0b0aed80ce 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/exists.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/exists.rs
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ impl WholeStreamCommand for PathExists {
         args: CommandArgs,
         registry: &CommandRegistry,
     ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let tag = args.call_info.name_tag.clone();
         let (DefaultArguments { rest }, input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
-        operate(input, rest, &action).await
+        operate(input, rest, &action, tag.span).await
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/expand.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/expand.rs
index 7d75bcfb24..75ae5d211d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/expand.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/expand.rs
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ impl WholeStreamCommand for PathExpand {
         args: CommandArgs,
         registry: &CommandRegistry,
     ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let tag = args.call_info.name_tag.clone();
         let (DefaultArguments { rest }, input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
-        operate(input, rest, &action).await
+        operate(input, rest, &action, tag.span).await
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/extension.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/extension.rs
index 0a43144cce..2e99c88a01 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/extension.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/extension.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ impl WholeStreamCommand for PathExtension {
         args: CommandArgs,
         registry: &CommandRegistry,
     ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let tag = args.call_info.name_tag.clone();
         let (DefaultArguments { rest }, input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
-        operate(input, rest, &action).await
+        operate(input, rest, &action, tag.span).await
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/mod.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/mod.rs
index a088cac56e..55550e0f7d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ mod r#type;
 use crate::prelude::*;
 use nu_errors::ShellError;
 use nu_protocol::{ColumnPath, Primitive, ReturnSuccess, ShellTypeName, UntaggedValue, Value};
+use nu_source::Span;
 use std::path::Path;
 
 pub use basename::PathBasename;
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ struct DefaultArguments {
     rest: Vec<ColumnPath>,
 }
 
-fn handle_value<F>(action: &F, v: &Value) -> Result<Value, ShellError>
+fn handle_value<F>(action: &F, v: &Value, span: Span) -> Result<Value, ShellError>
 where
     F: Fn(&Path) -> UntaggedValue + Send + 'static,
 {
@@ -32,9 +33,11 @@ where
         | UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::Line(s)) => action(s.as_ref()).into_value(v.tag()),
         other => {
             let got = format!("got {}", other.type_name());
-            return Err(ShellError::labeled_error(
+            return Err(ShellError::labeled_error_with_secondary(
                 "value is not string or path",
                 got,
+                span,
+                "originates from here".to_string(),
                 v.tag().span,
             ));
         }
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ async fn operate<F>(
     input: crate::InputStream,
     paths: Vec<ColumnPath>,
     action: &'static F,
+    span: Span,
 ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError>
 where
     F: Fn(&Path) -> UntaggedValue + Send + Sync + 'static,
@@ -53,14 +57,14 @@ where
     Ok(input
         .map(move |v| {
             if paths.is_empty() {
-                ReturnSuccess::value(handle_value(&action, &v)?)
+                ReturnSuccess::value(handle_value(&action, &v, span)?)
             } else {
                 let mut ret = v;
 
                 for path in &paths {
                     ret = ret.swap_data_by_column_path(
                         path,
-                        Box::new(move |old| handle_value(&action, &old)),
+                        Box::new(move |old| handle_value(&action, &old, span)),
                     )?;
                 }
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/type.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/type.rs
index 8d188abd52..9b1b019a46 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/type.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/path/type.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ impl WholeStreamCommand for PathType {
         args: CommandArgs,
         registry: &CommandRegistry,
     ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+        let tag = args.call_info.name_tag.clone();
         let (DefaultArguments { rest }, input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
-        operate(input, rest, &action).await
+        operate(input, rest, &action, tag.span).await
     }
 
     fn examples(&self) -> Vec<Example> {