diff --git a/src/value.ts b/src/value.ts
index d1f1d3e..212a49e 100644
--- a/src/value.ts
+++ b/src/value.ts
@@ -68,10 +68,18 @@ export function toValue(v: any, vm?: VM): Value /* throws */ {
       if (!vm) {
         const fnName = v.name || '<anonymous>'
         const fnStr = v.toString().slice(0, 100)
+        const stack = new Error().stack || ''
+        const stackLines = stack.split('\n')
+          .slice(1)
+          .filter(line => !line.includes('toValue'))
+          .slice(0, 3)
+          .map(line => '    ' + line.trim())
+          .join('\n')
         throw new Error(
           `can't toValue() function without a vm\n` +
           `  Function: ${fnName}\n` +
-          `  Source: ${fnStr}${v.toString().length > 100 ? '...' : ''}\n`
+          `  Source: ${fnStr}${v.toString().length > 100 ? '...' : ''}\n` +
+          `  Called from:\n${stackLines}`
         )
       }
       return { type: 'native', fn: wrapNative(vm, v), value: '<function>' }
@@ -189,11 +197,18 @@ export function fromValue(v: Value, vm?: VM): any {
       return v.value
     case 'function':
       if (!vm || !(vm instanceof VM)) {
+        const stack = new Error().stack || ''
+        const stackLines = stack.split('\n')
+          .slice(1)
+          .filter(line => !line.includes('fromValue'))
+          .slice(0, 3)
+          .map(line => '    ' + line.trim())
+          .join('\n')
         throw new Error(
           `VM is required for function conversion\n` +
           `  Function params: [${v.params.join(', ')}]\n` +
           `  Function body at instruction: ${v.body}\n` +
-          `  Tip: Pass a VM instance as the second argument to fromValue()`
+          `  Called from:\n${stackLines}`
         )
       }
       return fnFromValue(v, vm)
diff --git a/tests/value.test.ts b/tests/value.test.ts
index c662de1..4acb35c 100644
--- a/tests/value.test.ts
+++ b/tests/value.test.ts
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ test("toValue - throws helpful error when converting function without VM", () =>
   expect(() => toValue(myFunction)).toThrow(/can't toValue\(\) function without a vm/)
   expect(() => toValue(myFunction)).toThrow(/Function: myFunction/)
   expect(() => toValue(myFunction)).toThrow(/Source:/)
-  expect(() => toValue(myFunction)).toThrow(/Tip: Pass a VM instance/)
+  expect(() => toValue(myFunction)).toThrow(/Called from:/)
 })
 
 test("toValue - error message shows function name from binding", () => {
@@ -233,5 +233,5 @@ test("fromValue - throws helpful error when converting function without VM", asy
   expect(() => fromValue(reefFunction)).toThrow(/VM is required for function conversion/)
   expect(() => fromValue(reefFunction)).toThrow(/Function params: \[x, y\]/)
   expect(() => fromValue(reefFunction)).toThrow(/Function body at instruction: 10/)
-  expect(() => fromValue(reefFunction)).toThrow(/Tip: Pass a VM instance/)
+  expect(() => fromValue(reefFunction)).toThrow(/Called from:/)
 })