diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
index 7ad634c843bd..c35d5458dc71 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fsrepo.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ See https://github.com/ipfs/fs-repo-migrations/blob/master/run.md for details.`
 var (
 	ErrNoVersion     = errors.New("no version file found, please run 0-to-1 migration tool.\n" + migrationInstructions)
 	ErrOldRepo       = errors.New("ipfs repo found in old '~/.go-ipfs' location, please run migration tool.\n" + migrationInstructions)
-	ErrNeedMigration = errors.New("ipfs repo needs migration")
+	ErrNeedMigration = errors.New("ipfs repo needs migration, please run migration tool.\n" + migrationInstructions)
 )
 
 type NoRepoError struct {