diff --git a/ipalib/messages.py b/ipalib/messages.py
index 872b455c1..c37cceb3f 100644
--- a/ipalib/messages.py
+++ b/ipalib/messages.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class SearchResultTruncated(PublicMessage):
 
     errno = 13017
     type = "warning"
-    format = _("Search result has been truncated to configured search limit.")
+    format = _("Search result has been truncated: %(reason)s")
 
 
 class BrokenTrust(PublicMessage):
diff --git a/ipalib/plugins/baseldap.py b/ipalib/plugins/baseldap.py
index 0eae45dbd..dc61fe454 100644
--- a/ipalib/plugins/baseldap.py
+++ b/ipalib/plugins/baseldap.py
@@ -2104,8 +2104,11 @@ class LDAPSearch(BaseLDAPCommand, crud.Search):
             truncated=bool(truncated),
         )
 
-        if truncated:
-            add_message(options['version'], result, SearchResultTruncated())
+        try:
+            ldap.handle_truncated_result(truncated)
+        except errors.LimitsExceeded as e:
+            add_message(options['version'], result, SearchResultTruncated(
+                reason=e))
 
         return result
 
diff --git a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_old_permission_plugin.py b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_old_permission_plugin.py
index 09f43fee8..1af76f6a6 100644
--- a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_old_permission_plugin.py
+++ b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_old_permission_plugin.py
@@ -525,8 +525,8 @@ class test_old_permission(Declarative):
                     },
                 ],
                 messages=({
-                    'message': (u'Search result has been truncated to '
-                                'configured search limit.'),
+                    'message': (u'Search result has been truncated: '
+                                u'Configured size limit exceeded'),
                     'code': 13017,
                     'type': u'warning',
                     'name': u'SearchResultTruncated'
@@ -585,8 +585,8 @@ class test_old_permission(Declarative):
                                               api.env.basedn)) and
                     'ipapermission' in res['objectclass']],
                 messages=({
-                    'message': (u'Search result has been truncated to '
-                                'configured search limit.'),
+                    'message': (u'Search result has been truncated: '
+                                u'Configured size limit exceeded'),
                     'code': 13017,
                     'type': u'warning',
                     'name': u'SearchResultTruncated'
diff --git a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_permission_plugin.py b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_permission_plugin.py
index 8026e8436..df5498a61 100644
--- a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_permission_plugin.py
+++ b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_permission_plugin.py
@@ -818,8 +818,8 @@ class test_permission(Declarative):
                 ],
                 messages=(
                     {
-                        'message': (u'Search result has been truncated to '
-                                    'configured search limit.'),
+                        'message': (u'Search result has been truncated: '
+                                    u'Configured size limit exceeded'),
                         'code': 13017,
                         'type': u'warning',
                         'name': u'SearchResultTruncated'
@@ -882,8 +882,8 @@ class test_permission(Declarative):
                     'ipapermission' in res['objectclass']],
                 messages=(
                     {
-                        'message': (u'Search result has been truncated to '
-                                    'configured search limit.'),
+                        'message': (u'Search result has been truncated: '
+                                    u'Configured size limit exceeded'),
                         'code': 13017,
                         'type': u'warning',
                         'name': u'SearchResultTruncated'