diff --git a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
index f19c7a289..83d664e78 100644
--- a/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
+++ b/nb-engine/nb-engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ public class NBCLI implements Function<String[], Integer>, NBLabeledElement {
         }
         if (options.wantsActivityTypes()) {
             new ActivityTypeLoader().getAllSelectors().forEach(System.out::println);
+            System.out.println("\nIf the driver adapter needed is missing from this list, rebuild NB5 to include the driver adapter.\n"+
+                               "Change '<activeByDefault>false</activeByDefault>' for the driver in "+
+                               "'./nb-adapters/pom.xml' and './nb-adapters/nb-adapters-included/pom.xml' first.");
             return NBCLI.EXIT_OK;
         }
 
diff --git a/nb-engine/nb-engine-core/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityimpl/uniform/StandardActivity.java b/nb-engine/nb-engine-core/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityimpl/uniform/StandardActivity.java
index 78750e7eb..8c177b58c 100644
--- a/nb-engine/nb-engine-core/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityimpl/uniform/StandardActivity.java
+++ b/nb-engine/nb-engine-core/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityimpl/uniform/StandardActivity.java
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ public class StandardActivity<R extends java.util.function.LongFunction, S> exte
             .map(l -> l.load(this, NBLabels.forKV()));
 
         if (defaultDriverName.isPresent() && defaultAdapter.isEmpty()) {
-            throw new BasicError("Unable to load default driver adapter '" + defaultDriverName.get() + '\'');
+            throw new BasicError("Unable to load '" + defaultDriverName.get() + "' driver adapter.\n"+
+                                 "Rebuild NB5 to include this driver adapter. "+
+                                 "Change '<activeByDefault>false</activeByDefault>' for the driver in "+
+                                 "'./nb-adapters/pom.xml' and './nb-adapters/nb-adapters-included/pom.xml' first.");
         }
 
         // HERE, op templates are loaded before drivers are loaded