diff -u b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/Migration.php b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/Migration.php
--- b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/Migration.php
+++ b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/Migration.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 use Drupal\migrate\Plugin\MigrateIdMapInterface;
 use Drupal\migrate\Plugin\RequirementsInterface;
 use Drupal\Component\Utility\NestedArray;
+use Drupal\Core\StringTranslation\TranslationWrapper;
 
 /**
  * Defines the Migration entity.
@@ -212,6 +213,36 @@
   protected $entityManager;
 
   /**
+   * An array with the statuses as keys and labels as values.
+   *
+   * @var array
+   */
+  protected static $statusList;
+
+  /**
+   * Retrieve a translated status string..
+   *
+   * @param integer
+   *  One of the MigrationInterface STATUS constants.
+   *
+   * @return string
+   *   Translated string corresponding to a STATUS_ constant.
+   */
+  public static function getTranslatedStatus($status) {
+    if (!static::$statusList) {
+      static::$statusList = [
+        static::STATUS_IDLE => new TranslationWrapper('Idle'),
+        static::STATUS_IMPORTING => new TranslationWrapper('Importing'),
+        static::STATUS_ROLLING_BACK => new TranslationWrapper('Rolling back'),
+        static::STATUS_STOPPING => new TranslationWrapper('Stopping'),
+        static::STATUS_DISABLED => new TranslationWrapper('Disabled'),
+      ];
+    }
+
+    return static::$statusList[$status];
+  }
+
+  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function getSourcePlugin() {
diff -u b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/MigrationInterface.php b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/MigrationInterface.php
--- b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/MigrationInterface.php
+++ b/core/modules/migrate/src/Entity/MigrationInterface.php
@@ -100,6 +100,17 @@
   const RESULT_DISABLED = 6;
 
   /**
+   * Retrieve a translated status string..
+   *
+   * @param integer
+   *  One of the MigrationInterface STATUS constants.
+   *
+   * @return string
+   *   Translated string corresponding to a STATUS_ constant.
+   */
+  public static function getTranslatedStatus($status);
+
+  /**
    * Returns the initialized source plugin.
    *
    * @return \Drupal\migrate\Plugin\MigrateSourceInterface
diff -u b/core/modules/migrate/src/MigrateExecutable.php b/core/modules/migrate/src/MigrateExecutable.php
--- b/core/modules/migrate/src/MigrateExecutable.php
+++ b/core/modules/migrate/src/MigrateExecutable.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Utility\Error;
 use Drupal\Core\StringTranslation\StringTranslationTrait;
 use Drupal\migrate\Entity\MigrationInterface;
+use Drupal\migrate\Entity\Migration;
 use Drupal\migrate\Exception\RequirementsException;
 use Drupal\migrate\Plugin\MigrateIdMapInterface;
 
@@ -238,9 +239,11 @@
    */
   public function import() {
     // Only begin the import operation if the migration is currently idle.
-    if ($this->migration->getMigrationStatus() !== MigrationInterface::STATUS_IDLE) {
-      $this->message->display($this->t('Migration @id is busy with another operation', array(
+    if (($status = $this->migration->getMigrationStatus()) !== MigrationInterface::STATUS_IDLE) {
+      $this->message->display($this->t('Migration @id is busy with another operation: @status',
+        array(
           '@id' => $this->migration->id(),
+          '@status' => Migration::getTranslatedStatus($status),
         )), 'error');
       return MigrationInterface::RESULT_FAILED;
     }