diff --git a/cmake/Findelfutils.cmake b/cmake/Findelfutils.cmake
index ce6ed8d16c9..71463403315 100644
--- a/cmake/Findelfutils.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Findelfutils.cmake
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ if(elfutils_FOUND)
       endif()
     endif()
   endforeach()
+else()
+  message(STATUS "                        (set ELFUTILS_INSTALL_DIR, or install libdw-dev on a Debian-like system)")
 endif()
 
 mark_as_advanced(ELFUTILS_INCLUDE_DIR ELFUTILS_LIB_elf ELFUTILS_LIB_dw)