diff --git a/automotive/can/1.0/tools/configurator/canhalconfigurator.cpp b/automotive/can/1.0/tools/configurator/canhalconfigurator.cpp
index a100f06..3fb4259 100644
--- a/automotive/can/1.0/tools/configurator/canhalconfigurator.cpp
+++ b/automotive/can/1.0/tools/configurator/canhalconfigurator.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@
 static bool configuratorStart(const std::string& filepath) {
     base::SetDefaultTag("CanConfigurator");
 
+    LOG(WARNING) << "The HIDL version of CAN HAL has been deprecated, if this tool fails with "
+                 << "SIGABRT, you may need canhalconfigurator-aidl instead.";
+
     auto pb_cfg = config::parseConfigFile(filepath);
     if (!pb_cfg.has_value()) {
         return false;
diff --git a/automotive/can/1.0/tools/libcanhaltools/libcanhaltools.cpp b/automotive/can/1.0/tools/libcanhaltools/libcanhaltools.cpp
index 9192e2f..fabe75f 100644
--- a/automotive/can/1.0/tools/libcanhaltools/libcanhaltools.cpp
+++ b/automotive/can/1.0/tools/libcanhaltools/libcanhaltools.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
     auto manager = hidl::manager::V1_2::IServiceManager::getService();
     hidl_vec<hidl_string> services;
     manager->listManifestByInterface(ICanController::descriptor, hidl_utils::fill(&services));
-    CHECK(services.size() > 0) << "No ICanController services registered (missing privileges?)"
-                               << std::endl;
+    CHECK(services.size() > 0) << "No ICanController services registered (missing privileges?). "
+                               << "are you using the AIDL CanController?" << std::endl;
     return services;
 }