diff --git a/src/file/extractor/app.cpp b/src/file/extractor/app.cpp
--- a/src/file/extractor/app.cpp
+++ b/src/file/extractor/app.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@
 
     Database *db = globalDatabaseInstance();
     if (!db->open(Database::ReadWriteDatabase)) {
-        qCritical() << "Failed to open the database";
+        qCritical() << "Failed to open the database; please make sure Baloo (file indexing and"
+                    << "searching KDE framework) is enabled on your system";
         exit(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/taglistjob.cpp b/src/lib/taglistjob.cpp
--- a/src/lib/taglistjob.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/taglistjob.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     Database *db = globalDatabaseInstance();
     if (!db->open(Database::ReadOnlyDatabase)) {
         setError(UserDefinedError);
-        setErrorText(QStringLiteral("Failed to open the database"));
+        setErrorText(QStringLiteral("Failed to open the database; please check that Baloo (the file indexing and searching KDE framework) is enabled on your system"));
         emitResult();
         return;
     }