diff --git a/parsers/src/blocking.rs b/parsers/src/blocking.rs
index 464b139..8acb588 100644
--- a/parsers/src/blocking.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/blocking.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ macro_rules! generate_blocking_element {
                 check_no_attributes!(elem, $name);
                 let mut items = vec!();
                 for child in elem.children() {
-                    check_self!(child, "item", BLOCKING);
+                    check_child!(child, "item", BLOCKING);
                     check_no_unknown_attributes!(child, "item", ["jid"]);
                     check_no_children!(child, "item");
                     items.push(get_attr!(child, "jid", Required));
diff --git a/parsers/src/delay.rs b/parsers/src/delay.rs
index 64d7f49..a38f4ec 100644
--- a/parsers/src/delay.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/delay.rs
@@ -69,12 +69,12 @@ mod tests {
         let elem: Element = "<replace xmlns='urn:xmpp:message-correct:0'/>"
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
-        let error = Delay::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
-        let message = match error {
-            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+        let error = Delay::try_from(elem.clone()).unwrap_err();
+        let returned_elem = match error {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(_, _, elem) => elem,
             _ => panic!(),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a delay element.");
+        assert_eq!(elem, returned_elem);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/parsers/src/eme.rs b/parsers/src/eme.rs
index 5a624a3..256b878 100644
--- a/parsers/src/eme.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/eme.rs
@@ -59,12 +59,12 @@ mod tests {
         let elem: Element = "<replace xmlns='urn:xmpp:message-correct:0'/>"
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
-        let error = ExplicitMessageEncryption::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
-        let message = match error {
-            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+        let error = ExplicitMessageEncryption::try_from(elem.clone()).unwrap_err();
+        let returned_elem = match error {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(_, _, elem) => elem,
             _ => panic!(),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a encryption element.");
+        assert_eq!(elem, returned_elem);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/parsers/src/hashes.rs b/parsers/src/hashes.rs
index c79a71d..379f34c 100644
--- a/parsers/src/hashes.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/hashes.rs
@@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ mod tests {
         let elem: Element = "<replace xmlns='urn:xmpp:message-correct:0'/>"
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
-        let error = Hash::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
-        let message = match error {
-            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+        let error = Hash::try_from(elem.clone()).unwrap_err();
+        let returned_elem = match error {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(_, _, elem) => elem,
             _ => panic!(),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a hash element.");
+        assert_eq!(elem, returned_elem);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/parsers/src/jingle_ft.rs b/parsers/src/jingle_ft.rs
index 67c7a98..e5a6d81 100644
--- a/parsers/src/jingle_ft.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/jingle_ft.rs
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ impl TryFrom<Element> for Checksum {
                     "JingleFT checksum element must have exactly one child.",
                 ));
             }
-            file = Some(File::try_from(child.clone())?);
+            file = Some(File::try_from(child.clone()).map_err(|e| e.hide_type_mismatch())?);
         }
         if file.is_none() {
             return Err(Error::ParseError(
@@ -541,9 +541,9 @@ mod tests {
         let error = Checksum::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
         let message = match error {
             Error::ParseError(string) => string,
-            _ => panic!(),
+            other => panic!("unexpected error: {:?}", other),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a file element.");
+        assert_eq!(message, "Unexpected child element");
 
         let elem: Element = "<checksum xmlns='urn:xmpp:jingle:apps:file-transfer:5' creator='initiator'><file><hash xmlns='urn:xmpp:hashes:2' algo='sha-1'>w0mcJylzCn+AfvuGdqkty2+KP48=</hash></file></checksum>".parse().unwrap();
         let error = Checksum::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
diff --git a/parsers/src/rsm.rs b/parsers/src/rsm.rs
index af3aa74..bb5adf3 100644
--- a/parsers/src/rsm.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/rsm.rs
@@ -213,22 +213,22 @@ mod tests {
         let elem: Element = "<replace xmlns='urn:xmpp:message-correct:0'/>"
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
-        let error = SetQuery::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
-        let message = match error {
-            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+        let error = SetQuery::try_from(elem.clone()).unwrap_err();
+        let returned_elem = match error {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(_, _, elem) => elem,
             _ => panic!(),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a RSM set element.");
+        assert_eq!(elem, returned_elem);
 
         let elem: Element = "<replace xmlns='urn:xmpp:message-correct:0'/>"
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
-        let error = SetResult::try_from(elem).unwrap_err();
-        let message = match error {
-            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+        let error = SetResult::try_from(elem.clone()).unwrap_err();
+        let returned_elem = match error {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(_, _, elem) => elem,
             _ => panic!(),
         };
-        assert_eq!(message, "This is not a RSM set element.");
+        assert_eq!(elem, returned_elem);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/parsers/src/util/error.rs b/parsers/src/util/error.rs
index a2c6ea7..b541266 100644
--- a/parsers/src/util/error.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/util/error.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// of a freeform string.
     ParseError(&'static str),
 
+    /// Element local-name/namespace mismatch
+    ///
+    /// Returns the original element unaltered, as well as the expected ns and
+    /// local-name.
+    TypeMismatch(&'static str, &'static str, crate::Element),
+
     /// Generated when some base64 content fails to decode, usually due to
     /// extra characters.
     Base64Error(base64::DecodeError),
@@ -40,10 +46,24 @@ pub enum Error {
     ChronoParseError(chrono::ParseError),
 }
 
+impl Error {
+    /// Converts the TypeMismatch error to a generic ParseError
+    ///
+    /// This must be used when TryFrom is called on children to avoid confusing
+    /// user code which assumes that TypeMismatch refers to the top level
+    /// element only.
+    pub(crate) fn hide_type_mismatch(self) -> Self {
+        match self {
+            Error::TypeMismatch(..) => Error::ParseError("Unexpected child element"),
+            other => other,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl StdError for Error {
     fn cause(&self) -> Option<&dyn StdError> {
         match self {
-            Error::ParseError(_) => None,
+            Error::ParseError(_) | Error::TypeMismatch(..) => None,
             Error::Base64Error(e) => Some(e),
             Error::ParseIntError(e) => Some(e),
             Error::ParseStringError(e) => Some(e),
@@ -58,6 +78,14 @@ impl fmt::Display for Error {
     fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
         match self {
             Error::ParseError(s) => write!(fmt, "parse error: {}", s),
+            Error::TypeMismatch(ns, localname, element) => write!(
+                fmt,
+                "element type mismatch: expected {{{}}}{}, got {{{}}}{}",
+                ns,
+                localname,
+                element.ns(),
+                element.name()
+            ),
             Error::Base64Error(e) => write!(fmt, "base64 error: {}", e),
             Error::ParseIntError(e) => write!(fmt, "integer parsing error: {}", e),
             Error::ParseStringError(e) => write!(fmt, "string parsing error: {}", e),
diff --git a/parsers/src/util/macros.rs b/parsers/src/util/macros.rs
index 996d3e2..8815654 100644
--- a/parsers/src/util/macros.rs
+++ b/parsers/src/util/macros.rs
@@ -292,6 +292,21 @@ macro_rules! check_self {
     ($elem:ident, $name:tt, $ns:ident) => {
         check_self!($elem, $name, $ns, $name);
     };
+    ($elem:ident, $name:tt, $ns:ident, $pretty_name:tt) => {
+        if !$elem.is($name, crate::ns::$ns) {
+            return Err(crate::util::error::Error::TypeMismatch(
+                $name,
+                crate::ns::$ns,
+                $elem,
+            ));
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+macro_rules! check_child {
+    ($elem:ident, $name:tt, $ns:ident) => {
+        check_child!($elem, $name, $ns, $name);
+    };
     ($elem:ident, $name:tt, $ns:ident, $pretty_name:tt) => {
         if !$elem.is($name, crate::ns::$ns) {
             return Err(crate::util::error::Error::ParseError(concat!(