diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/fstrings.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/fstrings.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a797aaab5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/fstrings.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+## Introducing format strings to the Meson language
+
+In addition to the conventional `'A string @0@ to be formatted @1@'.format(n, m)`
+method of formatting strings in the Meson DSL, there's now the additional
+`f'A string @n@ to be formatted @m@'` notation that provides a non-positional
+and clearer alternative. Meson's format strings are currently restricted to
+identity-expressions, meaning `f'format {'m' + 'e'}'` will not parse.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreterbase.py b/mesonbuild/interpreterbase.py
index bc0c93213..206a81e10 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreterbase.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreterbase.py
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ The result of this is undefined and will become a hard error in a future Meson r
             try:
                 val = self.variables[var]
                 if not isinstance(val, (str, int, float, bool)):
-                    raise InvalidCode(f'Identifier {var} does not name a formattable variable.')
+                    raise InvalidCode(f'Identifier "{var}" does not name a formattable variable.')
 
                 return str(val)
             except KeyError:
diff --git a/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/meson.build b/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd22f56b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+project('invalid-fstring', 'c')
+
+dict = {'key': true}
+s = f'invalid fstring: @dict@'
diff --git a/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/test.json b/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/test.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b3516556
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/test.json	
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "stdout": [
+        {
+            "line": "test cases/failing/113 invalid fstring/meson.build:4:0: ERROR: Identifier \"dict\" does not name a formattable variable."
+	}
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/meson.build b/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..973df3098
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+project('invalid-fstring', 'c')
+
+z = f'invalid fstring: @foo@'
diff --git a/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/test.json b/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/test.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a8155c41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/test.json	
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "stdout": [
+        {
+            "line": "test cases/failing/114 invalid fstring/meson.build:3:0: ERROR: Identifier \"foo\" does not name a variable."
+	}
+    ]
+}