diff --git a/scripts/export_native.py b/scripts/export_native.py
index 1ccddb68..c5a2b09e 100644
--- a/scripts/export_native.py
+++ b/scripts/export_native.py
@@ -335,7 +335,9 @@ def collect_originals(
             elif path.exists():
                 payload = path.read_bytes()
             else:
-                missing.append(f"{relative}: absent and fetching is off")
+                missing.append(
+                    f"{relative}: not in {root}; rerun with --fetch to download it"
+                )
                 continue
             if archive:
                 originals.update(_read_archive(unpack, payload))
diff --git a/tests/test_exporters.py b/tests/test_exporters.py
index 6504e890..cdaedfac 100644
--- a/tests/test_exporters.py
+++ b/tests/test_exporters.py
@@ -914,7 +914,9 @@ class CachedOriginal(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_offline_serves_what_is_cached_and_names_what_is_not(self):
         url = self._upstream("v1.txt", "one")
         _, missing = collect_originals(_OneFileExporter(url), {}, self.cache, False)
-        self.assertEqual(missing, ["list.txt: absent and fetching is off"])
+        self.assertEqual(missing, [
+            f"list.txt: not in {self.cache / 'plat'}; rerun with --fetch to download it"
+        ])
         collect_originals(_OneFileExporter(url), {}, self.cache, True)
         originals, missing = collect_originals(
             _OneFileExporter("file:///nowhere/else.txt"), {}, self.cache, False