diff --git a/lang/ruby/lib/avro/schema_validator.rb b/lang/ruby/lib/avro/schema_validator.rb
index 8ebb65f8d59..678b615c393 100644
--- a/lang/ruby/lib/avro/schema_validator.rb
+++ b/lang/ruby/lib/avro/schema_validator.rb
@@ -198,23 +198,38 @@ def validate_union(expected_schema, datum, path, result, options)
         compatible_type = first_compatible_type(datum, expected_schema, path, failures, options)
         return unless compatible_type.nil?
 
-        complex_type_failed = failures.detect { |r| COMPLEX_TYPES.include?(r[:type]) }
-        if complex_type_failed
-          complex_type_failed[:result].errors.each { |error| result << error }
-        else
-          types = expected_schema.schemas.map { |s| "'#{s.type_sym}'" }.join(', ')
-          result.add_error(path, "expected union of [#{types}], got #{actual_value_message(datum)}")
+
+        failed_complex_types = failures.select { |r| COMPLEX_TYPES.include?(r[:type]) }
+        complex_type_errors =  []
+        failed_complex_types.each do |failed_complex_type|
+          error_msg = failed_complex_type[:result].errors.map do |error|
+            error
+          end.join("; ")
+          schema_name_prefix = "#{failed_complex_type[:schema_name]}: " if failed_complex_type[:schema_name] 
+          complex_type_errors << "#{schema_name_prefix}#{error_msg}"
         end
+
+        types = expected_schema.schemas.map do |s|
+          s.respond_to?(:name) ? "#{s.name} ('#{s.type}')" : "'#{s.type}'"
+        end.join(', ')
+        type_mismatches = %Q{\nUnion type specific errors:\n#{complex_type_errors.join("\n")}} if complex_type_errors.any?
+        result.add_error(path, "expected union of [#{types}], got #{actual_value_message(datum)}#{type_mismatches}")
       end
 
       def first_compatible_type(datum, expected_schema, path, failures, options = {})
         expected_schema.schemas.find do |schema|
           # Avoid expensive validation if we're just validating a nil
-          next datum.nil? if schema.type_sym == :null
+          if schema.type_sym == :null
+            next datum.nil?
+          end
 
           result = Result.new
           validate_recursive(schema, datum, path, result, options)
-          failures << { type: schema.type_sym, result: result } if result.failure?
+          if result.failure?
+            failure = { type: schema.type_sym, result: result }
+            failure[:schema_name] = schema.name if schema.respond_to?(:name)
+            failures << failure
+          end
           !result.failure?
         end
       end
diff --git a/lang/ruby/test/test_schema_validator.rb b/lang/ruby/test/test_schema_validator.rb
index 8b120927929..6d7a5dcd5c6 100644
--- a/lang/ruby/test/test_schema_validator.rb
+++ b/lang/ruby/test/test_schema_validator.rb
@@ -331,7 +331,12 @@ def test_validate_union_of_nil_and_record_inside_array
     assert_nothing_raised { validate_simple!(schema, 'person' => { houses: [] }) }
     assert_nothing_raised { validate_simple!(schema, 'person' => { 'houses' => [{ 'number_of_rooms' => 1 }] }) }
 
-    message = 'at .person.houses[1].number_of_rooms expected type long, got string with value "not valid at all"'
+    message = <<~EXPECTED_ERROR.chomp
+      at .person.houses expected union of ['null', 'array'], got Array with value [{"number_of_rooms"=>2}, {"number_of_rooms"=>"not valid at all"}]
+      Union type specific errors:
+      at .person.houses[1].number_of_rooms expected type long, got string with value "not valid at all"
+    EXPECTED_ERROR
+
     datum = {
       'person' => {
         'houses' => [
@@ -556,9 +561,51 @@ def test_validate_union_extra_fields
       validate!(schema, { 'name' => 'apple', 'color' => 'green' }, fail_on_extra_fields: true)
     end
     assert_equal(1, exception.result.errors.size)
-    assert_equal("at . extra field 'color' - not in schema", exception.to_s)
+    expected_error = <<~EXPECTED_ERROR.chomp
+      at . expected union of ['null', fruit ('record')], got record with value {"name"=>"apple", "color"=>"green"}
+      Union type specific errors:
+      fruit: at . extra field 'color' - not in schema
+    EXPECTED_ERROR
+    assert_equal(expected_error, exception.to_s)
   end
 
+  def test_validate_union_complex_and_simple_types
+    schema = hash_to_schema([
+                              'null',
+                              {
+                                type: 'record',
+                                name: 'fruit',
+                                fields: [{ name: 'name', type: 'string' }]
+                              },
+                              {
+                                type: 'record',
+                                name: 'animal',
+                                fields: [
+                                  { name: 'name', type: 'string' },
+                                  { name: 'species', type: 'string' }
+                                ]
+                              },
+                              {
+                                type: 'enum',
+                                name: 'person',
+                                symbols: %w(one two three)
+                              }
+                            ])
+    exception = assert_raise(Avro::SchemaValidator::ValidationError) do
+      validate!(schema, { 'namo' => 'apple', 'color' => 'green' }, fail_on_extra_fields: true)
+    end
+
+    assert_equal(1, exception.result.errors.size)
+    expected_error = <<~EXPECTED_ERROR.chomp
+      at . expected union of ['null', fruit ('record'), animal ('record'), person ('enum')], got record with value {"namo"=>"apple", "color"=>"green"}
+      Union type specific errors:
+      fruit: at .name expected type string, got null; at . extra field 'namo' - not in schema; at . extra field 'color' - not in schema
+      animal: at .name expected type string, got null; at .species expected type string, got null; at . extra field 'namo' - not in schema; at . extra field 'color' - not in schema
+    EXPECTED_ERROR
+    assert_equal(expected_error, exception.to_s)
+  end
+
+
   def test_validate_bytes_decimal
     schema = hash_to_schema(type: 'bytes', logicalType: 'decimal', precision: 4, scale: 2)
     assert_valid_schema(schema, [BigDecimal('1.23'), 4.2, 1], ['4.2', BigDecimal('233.2')], true)