diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 8169869c..c064ae7f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ Requires libvips v8.6.1.
 * Ensure vendor platform mismatch throws error at install time.
   [#1303](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/1303)
 
+* Improve install time error messages for FreeBSD users.
+  [#1310](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/1310)
+
 #### v0.20.5 - 27<sup>th</sup> June 2018
 
 * Expose libjpeg optimize_coding flag.
diff --git a/install/libvips.js b/install/libvips.js
index 464d7f71..0a50f52f 100644
--- a/install/libvips.js
+++ b/install/libvips.js
@@ -29,11 +29,15 @@ try {
   } else {
     // Is this arch/platform supported?
     const arch = process.env.npm_config_arch || process.arch;
-    if (platform() === 'win32-ia32') {
+    const platformAndArch = platform();
+    if (platformAndArch === 'win32-ia32') {
       throw new Error('Windows x86 (32-bit) node.exe is not supported');
     }
     if (arch === 'ia32') {
-      throw new Error(`Intel Architecture 32-bit systems require manual installation of libvips >= ${minimumLibvipsVersion}\n`);
+      throw new Error(`Intel Architecture 32-bit systems require manual installation of libvips >= ${minimumLibvipsVersion}`);
+    }
+    if (platformAndArch === 'freebsd-x64') {
+      throw new Error(`FreeBSD systems require manual installation of libvips >= ${minimumLibvipsVersion}`);
     }
     if (detectLibc.isNonGlibcLinux) {
       throw new Error(`Use with ${detectLibc.family} libc requires manual installation of libvips >= ${minimumLibvipsVersion}`);
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ try {
       throw new Error(`Use with glibc version ${detectLibc.version} requires manual installation of libvips >= ${minimumLibvipsVersion}`);
     }
     // Download to per-process temporary file
-    const tarFilename = ['libvips', minimumLibvipsVersion, platform()].join('-') + '.tar.gz';
+    const tarFilename = ['libvips', minimumLibvipsVersion, platformAndArch].join('-') + '.tar.gz';
     const tarPathTemp = path.join(os.tmpdir(), `${process.pid}-${tarFilename}`);
     const tmpFile = fs.createWriteStream(tarPathTemp);
     const url = distBaseUrl + tarFilename;