diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 7d1dfdc0006..d1506694d1d 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ Features added
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
 
+* #8342: Emit a warning if a unknown domain is given for directive or role (ex.
+  ``:unknown:doc:``)
+
 Testing
 --------
 
diff --git a/sphinx/util/docutils.py b/sphinx/util/docutils.py
index 161575cbd76..8ca38bac2e7 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/docutils.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/docutils.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 from docutils.utils import Reporter, unescape
 
 from sphinx.errors import SphinxError
+from sphinx.locale import _
 from sphinx.util import logging
 from sphinx.util.typing import RoleFunction
 
@@ -208,6 +209,8 @@ def lookup_domain_element(self, type: str, name: str) -> Any:
                 element = getattr(domain, type)(name)
                 if element is not None:
                     return element, []
+            else:
+                logger.warning(_('unknown directive or role name: %s:%s'), domain_name, name)
         # else look in the default domain
         else:
             def_domain = self.env.temp_data.get('default_domain')