diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index fa1d8d0f..a80d7298 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ dependencies {
     implementation("com.google.api-client:google-api-client-gson:1.31.5")
 
     implementation("com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.9")
-    implementation("org.conscrypt:conscrypt-openjdk-uber:2.5.2") // contains library code for all platforms
+    implementation("org.conscrypt:conscrypt-openjdk-uber:2.5.2") {
+        because("contains library code for all platforms")
+    }
 
     testImplementation("junit:junit:4.12")
     testImplementation("com.nimbusds:oauth2-oidc-sdk:6.21.2")
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/sigstore/fulcio/client/FulcioValidator.java b/src/main/java/dev/sigstore/fulcio/client/FulcioValidator.java
index a14bba40..34b899da 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/sigstore/fulcio/client/FulcioValidator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/sigstore/fulcio/client/FulcioValidator.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public class FulcioValidator {
   private final CTLogInfo ctLogInfo;
   private final TrustAnchor fulcioRoot;
 
-  public static FulcioValidator NewFulcioValidator(byte[] ctfePublicKey, byte[] fulcioRoot)
+  public static FulcioValidator newFulcioValidator(byte[] ctfePublicKey, byte[] fulcioRoot)
       throws InvalidKeySpecException, NoSuchAlgorithmException, CertificateException, IOException,
           InvalidAlgorithmParameterException {
     KeyFactory keyFactory = KeyFactory.getInstance("EC");
@@ -91,17 +91,15 @@ public void validateCertChain(SigningCertificate sc) throws FulcioValidationExce
     try {
       cpv = CertPathValidator.getInstance("PKIX");
     } catch (NoSuchAlgorithmException e) {
-      // no PKIX, we probably shouldn't be here, but this seems to be a system library error
-      // not a program control flow issue
-      throw new RuntimeException(e);
+      // 
+      throw new RuntimeException("No PKIX CertPathValidator, we probably shouldn't be here, but this seems to be a system library error not a program control flow issue", e);
     }
 
     PKIXParameters pkixParams;
     try {
       pkixParams = new PKIXParameters(Collections.singleton(fulcioRoot));
     } catch (InvalidAlgorithmParameterException e) {
-      // this should have been checked when generating a validator instance
-      throw new RuntimeException(e);
+      throw new RuntimeException("Can't create PKIX parameters for fulcioRoot. This should have been checked when generating a validator instance", e);
     }
     pkixParams.setRevocationEnabled(false);