diff --git a/.nextchanges/bundles/warn-for-missing-databricks-yml.md b/.nextchanges/bundles/warn-for-missing-databricks-yml.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8f89ae17a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.nextchanges/bundles/warn-for-missing-databricks-yml.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Provide an actionable error message if databricks.yml is missing ([#5953](https://github.com/databricks/cli/pull/5953)).
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-bundle/output.txt b/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-bundle/output.txt
index 870f682634f..4c41b8e366d 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-bundle/output.txt
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-bundle/output.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 >>> [CLI] bundle run -- echo hello
-Error: unable to locate bundle root: databricks.yml not found
+Error: unable to locate bundle root: databricks.yml not found. Run 'databricks bundle init' to create a bundle, or run this command from a directory that already contains one
 
 
 Exit code: 1
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-separator/output.txt b/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-separator/output.txt
index 7a35cab72e4..937988ce833 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-separator/output.txt
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/run/inline-script/no-separator/output.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 >>> [CLI] bundle run echo hello
-Error: unable to locate bundle root: databricks.yml not found
+Error: unable to locate bundle root: databricks.yml not found. Run 'databricks bundle init' to create a bundle, or run this command from a directory that already contains one
 
 
 Exit code: 1
diff --git a/bundle/root.go b/bundle/root.go
index 9ea9a8c13fe..9f6f2c5f6bb 100644
--- a/bundle/root.go
+++ b/bundle/root.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func getRootWithTraversal() (string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	return "", fmt.Errorf(`unable to locate bundle root: %s not found`, config.FileNames[0])
+	return "", fmt.Errorf(`unable to locate bundle root: %s not found. Run 'databricks bundle init' to create a bundle, or run this command from a directory that already contains one`, config.FileNames[0])
 }
 
 // mustGetRoot returns a bundle root or an error if one cannot be found.