diff --git a/tfjs-core/src/backends/backend.ts b/tfjs-core/src/backends/backend.ts
index 66907f2fa8d..5fe7fca0f01 100644
--- a/tfjs-core/src/backends/backend.ts
+++ b/tfjs-core/src/backends/backend.ts
@@ -664,5 +664,5 @@ export class KernelBackend implements TensorStorage, Backend, BackendTimer {
 function notYetImplemented(kernelName: string): never {
   throw new Error(
       `'${kernelName}' not yet implemented or not found in the registry. ` +
-      `Did you forget to import the kernel?`);
+      `This kernel may not be supported by the tfjs backend you have chosen`);
 }