diff --git a/coffee_core/src/coffee.rs b/coffee_core/src/coffee.rs
index 6b087799..68831b45 100644
--- a/coffee_core/src/coffee.rs
+++ b/coffee_core/src/coffee.rs
@@ -201,8 +201,17 @@ impl CoffeeManager {
         let path = self.config.cln_config_path.clone().unwrap();
         let mut file = CLNConf::new(path.clone(), true);
         log::info!("looking for the cln config: {path}");
-        file.parse()
-            .map_err(|err| CoffeeError::new(err.core, &err.cause))?;
+        file.parse().map_err(|err| {
+            CoffeeError::new(
+                err.core,
+                format!(
+                    "coffee was unable to locate Core Lightning configuration file at the specified path: {}.
+                     To resolve this, please run the following command: coffee setup <cln_path>.",
+                    path
+                )
+                .as_str(),
+            )
+        })?;
         log::trace!("{:?}", file.fields);
         self.cln_config = Some(file);
         Ok(())