diff --git a/pcbnew/drc/drc_test_provider_zone_connections.cpp b/pcbnew/drc/drc_test_provider_zone_connections.cpp
index 737e02e159..d4ed756a05 100644
--- a/pcbnew/drc/drc_test_provider_zone_connections.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/drc/drc_test_provider_zone_connections.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ void DRC_TEST_PROVIDER_ZONE_CONNECTIONS::testZoneLayer( ZONE* aZone, PCB_LAYER_I
     BOARD_DESIGN_SETTINGS&             bds = board->GetDesignSettings();
     std::shared_ptr<CONNECTIVITY_DATA> connectivity = board->GetConnectivity();
     DRC_CONSTRAINT                     constraint;
+    wxString                           msg;
 
     const std::shared_ptr<SHAPE_POLY_SET>& zoneFill = aZone->GetFilledPolysList( aLayer );
     ISOLATED_ISLANDS                       isolatedIslands;
@@ -140,25 +141,28 @@ void DRC_TEST_PROVIDER_ZONE_CONNECTIONS::testZoneLayer( ZONE* aZone, PCB_LAYER_I
 
             SHAPE_LINE_CHAIN& padOutline = padPoly.Outline( 0 );
             BOX2I             padBBox( item_bbox );
-            std::vector<SHAPE_LINE_CHAIN::INTERSECTION> intersections;
+            int               spokes = 0;
+            int               ignoredSpokes = 0;
 
             for( int jj = 0; jj < zoneFill->OutlineCount(); ++jj )
             {
+                std::vector<SHAPE_LINE_CHAIN::INTERSECTION> intersections;
+
+                zoneFill->Outline( jj ).Intersect( padOutline, intersections, true, &padBBox );
+
                 // If we connect to an island that only connects to a single item then we *are*
                 // that item.  Thermal spokes to this (otherwise isolated) island don't provide
                 // electrical connectivity to anything, so we don't count them.
                 if( alg::contains( isolatedIslands.m_SingleConnectionOutlines, jj ) )
-                    continue;
-
-                zoneFill->Outline( jj ).Intersect( padOutline, intersections, true, &padBBox );
+                    ignoredSpokes += (int) intersections.size() / 2;
+                else
+                    spokes += (int) intersections.size() / 2;
             }
 
-            int spokes = intersections.size() / 2;
-
-            if( spokes <= 0 )           // Not connected at all
+            if( spokes == 0 && ignoredSpokes == 0 )     // Not connected at all
                 continue;
 
-            if( spokes >= minCount )    // We already have enough
+            if( spokes >= minCount )                    // We already have enough
                 continue;
 
             //
@@ -186,7 +190,8 @@ void DRC_TEST_PROVIDER_ZONE_CONNECTIONS::testZoneLayer( ZONE* aZone, PCB_LAYER_I
             if( spokes < minCount )
             {
                 std::shared_ptr<DRC_ITEM> drce = DRC_ITEM::Create( DRCE_STARVED_THERMAL );
-                wxString msg = wxString::Format( _( "(%s min spoke count %d; actual %d)" ),
+                wxString msg = wxString::Format( _( "(layer %s; %s min spoke count %d; actual %d)" ),
+                                                 board->GetLayerName( aLayer ),
                                                  constraint.GetName(),
                                                  minCount,
                                                  spokes );
diff --git a/pcbnew/zone.cpp b/pcbnew/zone.cpp
index 7a572c8247..1e97f07b0d 100644
--- a/pcbnew/zone.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/zone.cpp
@@ -600,19 +600,33 @@ void ZONE::GetMsgPanelInfo( EDA_DRAW_FRAME* aFrame, std::vector<MSG_PANEL_ITEM>&
             aList.emplace_back( _( "Status" ), _( "Locked" ) );
     }
 
+    LSEQ     layers = m_layerSet.Seq();
     wxString layerDesc;
-    int count = 0;
 
-    for( PCB_LAYER_ID layer : m_layerSet.Seq() )
+    if( layers.size() == 1 )
     {
-        if( count == 0 )
-            layerDesc = GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layer );
-
-        count++;
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s" ), GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ) );
+    }
+    else if (layers.size() == 2 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s and %s" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ) );
+    }
+    else if (layers.size() == 3 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s, %s and %s" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[2] ) );
+    }
+    else if( layers.size() > 3 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s, %s and %d more" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ),
+                          layers.size() - 2 );
     }
-
-    if( count > 1 )
-        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s and %d more" ), layerDesc, count - 1 );
 
     aList.emplace_back( _( "Layer" ), layerDesc );
 
@@ -644,7 +658,7 @@ void ZONE::GetMsgPanelInfo( EDA_DRAW_FRAME* aFrame, std::vector<MSG_PANEL_ITEM>&
 
     if( !m_FilledPolysList.empty() )
     {
-        count = 0;
+        int count = 0;
 
         for( std::pair<const PCB_LAYER_ID, std::shared_ptr<SHAPE_POLY_SET>>& ii: m_FilledPolysList )
             count += ii.second->TotalVertices();
@@ -807,34 +821,48 @@ bool ZONE::AppendCorner( VECTOR2I aPosition, int aHoleIdx, bool aAllowDuplicatio
 
 wxString ZONE::GetItemDescription( UNITS_PROVIDER* aUnitsProvider ) const
 {
+    LSEQ     layers = m_layerSet.Seq();
     wxString layerDesc;
-    int      count = 0;
 
-    for( PCB_LAYER_ID layer : m_layerSet.Seq() )
+    if( layers.size() == 1 )
     {
-        if( count == 0 )
-            layerDesc = GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layer );
-
-        count++;
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "on %s" ), GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ) );
+    }
+    else if (layers.size() == 2 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "on %s and %s" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ) );
+    }
+    else if (layers.size() == 3 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "on %s, %s and %s" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[2] ) );
+    }
+    else if( layers.size() > 3 )
+    {
+        layerDesc.Printf( _( "on %s, %s and %d more" ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[0] ),
+                          GetBoard()->GetLayerName( layers[1] ),
+                          layers.size() - 2 );
     }
-
-    if( count > 1 )
-        layerDesc.Printf( _( "%s and %d more" ), layerDesc, count - 1 );
 
     // Check whether the selected contour is a hole (contour index > 0)
     if( m_CornerSelection != nullptr &&  m_CornerSelection->m_contour > 0 )
     {
         if( GetIsRuleArea() )
-            return wxString::Format( _( "Rule Area Cutout on %s" ), layerDesc  );
+            return wxString::Format( _( "Rule Area Cutout %s" ), layerDesc  );
         else
-            return wxString::Format( _( "Zone Cutout on %s" ), layerDesc  );
+            return wxString::Format( _( "Zone Cutout %s" ), layerDesc  );
     }
     else
     {
         if( GetIsRuleArea() )
-            return wxString::Format( _( "Rule Area on %s" ), layerDesc );
+            return wxString::Format( _( "Rule Area %s" ), layerDesc );
         else
-            return wxString::Format( _( "Zone %s on %s" ), GetNetnameMsg(), layerDesc );
+            return wxString::Format( _( "Zone %s %s" ), GetNetnameMsg(), layerDesc );
     }
 }