diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
index f6f019054..38a51f434 100755
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ if (parsedArgs.settings) {
         settingsFile = path.join(process.env.HOMEPATH,".node-red","settings.js");
     } else {
         if (!parsedArgs.userDir && !(process.env.HOME || process.env.USERPROFILE || process.env.HOMEPATH)) {
-            console.log("User has no Home Directory and no userDir set")
+            console.log("Could not find user directory. Ensure $HOME is set for the current user, or use --userDir option")
             process.exit(1)
         }
         var userDir = parsedArgs.userDir || path.join(process.env.HOME || process.env.USERPROFILE || process.env.HOMEPATH,".node-red");