diff --git a/lib/query.js b/lib/query.js
index 6f2ef101fcd..aa3f2d31e75 100644
--- a/lib/query.js
+++ b/lib/query.js
@@ -4025,7 +4025,7 @@ Query.prototype._mergeUpdate = function(update) {
 
   if (update instanceof Query) {
     if (Array.isArray(this._update)) {
-      throw new MongooseError('Cannot mix array and object updates');
+      throw new MongooseError(`Cannot mix array and object updates (current: ${_previewUpdate(this._update)}, incoming: ${_previewUpdate(update._update)})`);
     }
     if (update._update) {
       utils.mergeClone(this._update, update._update);
@@ -4037,18 +4037,33 @@ Query.prototype._mergeUpdate = function(update) {
       if (this._update == null || utils.isEmptyObject(this._update)) {
         this._update = [];
       } else {
-        throw new MongooseError('Cannot mix array and object updates');
+        throw new MongooseError(`Cannot mix array and object updates (current: ${_previewUpdate(this._update)}, incoming: ${_previewUpdate(update)})`);
       }
     }
     this._update = this._update.concat(update);
   } else {
     if (Array.isArray(this._update)) {
-      throw new MongooseError('Cannot mix array and object updates');
+      throw new MongooseError(`Cannot mix array and object updates (current: ${_previewUpdate(this._update)}, incoming: ${_previewUpdate(update)})`);
     }
     utils.mergeClone(this._update, update);
   }
 };
 
+function _previewUpdate(update) {
+  const preview = util.inspect(update, {
+    depth: 2,
+    maxArrayLength: 5,
+    breakLength: 80,
+    compact: true
+  });
+
+  if (preview.length > 200) {
+    return `${preview.slice(0, 197)}...`;
+  }
+
+  return preview;
+}
+
 /*!
  * ignore
  */
diff --git a/test/model.updateOne.test.js b/test/model.updateOne.test.js
index 427d3438adf..69c2c41c770 100644
--- a/test/model.updateOne.test.js
+++ b/test/model.updateOne.test.js
@@ -3016,6 +3016,25 @@ describe('model: updateOne: ', function() {
     assert.ok(fromDb.nested.updatedAt > doc.nested.updatedAt);
   });
 
+  it('includes update previews when mixing array and object updates', function() {
+    const schema = Schema({ name: String });
+    const Model = db.model('UpdatePreview', schema);
+
+    const currentUpdate = { $set: { name: 'A' } };
+    const incomingUpdate = [{ $set: { name: 'B' } }];
+    const query = Model.updateOne({ name: 'Start' }, currentUpdate);
+
+    assert.throws(() => {
+      query.updateOne({ name: 'Start' }, incomingUpdate, { updatePipeline: true });
+    }, err => {
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        err.message,
+        'Cannot mix array and object updates (current: { \'$set\': { name: \'A\' } }, incoming: [ { \'$set\': { name: \'B\' } } ])'
+      );
+      return true;
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('mongodb 42 features', function() {
     before(async function() {
       const version = await start.mongodVersion();