diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
index 53779fc878..e2eda7982c 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
@@ -399,13 +399,19 @@ def get_module(module_type, spec, get_full_path, module_set_name="default", requ
     else:
         writer = spack.modules.module_types[module_type](spec, module_set_name)
         if not os.path.isfile(writer.layout.filename):
+            fmt_str = "{name}{@version}{/hash:7}"
             if not writer.conf.excluded:
-                err_msg = "No module available for package {0} at {1}".format(
-                    spec, writer.layout.filename
+                raise ModuleNotFoundError(
+                    "The module for package {} should be at {}, but it does not exist".format(
+                        spec.format(fmt_str), writer.layout.filename
+                    )
                 )
-                raise ModuleNotFoundError(err_msg)
             elif required:
-                tty.debug("The module configuration has excluded {0}: " "omitting it".format(spec))
+                tty.debug(
+                    "The module configuration has excluded {}: omitting it".format(
+                        spec.format(fmt_str)
+                    )
+                )
             else:
                 return None