diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index a2fad2b..6ca361a 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -256,11 +256,15 @@ nvm_ensure_version_installed() {
   if [ "_$EXIT_CODE" != "_0" ] || ! nvm_is_version_installed "$LOCAL_VERSION"; then
     VERSION="$(nvm_resolve_alias "$PROVIDED_VERSION")"
     if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-      nvm_err "N/A: version \"$PROVIDED_VERSION -> $VERSION\" is not yet installed"
+      nvm_err "N/A: version \"$PROVIDED_VERSION -> $VERSION\" is not yet installed."
+      nvm_err ""
+      nvm_err "You need to run \"nvm install $PROVIDED_VERSION\" to install it before using it."
     else
       local PREFIXED_VERSION
       PREFIXED_VERSION="$(nvm_ensure_version_prefix "$PROVIDED_VERSION")"
-      nvm_err "N/A: version \"${PREFIXED_VERSION:-$PROVIDED_VERSION}\" is not yet installed"
+      nvm_err "N/A: version \"${PREFIXED_VERSION:-$PROVIDED_VERSION}\" is not yet installed."
+      nvm_err ""
+      nvm_err "You need to run \"nvm install $PROVIDED_VERSION\" to install it before using it."
     fi
     return 1
   fi
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_version_installed b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_version_installed
index 492cc95..7c49aaf 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_version_installed	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_version_installed	
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ mkdir -p "$(nvm_version_path v0.1.2)"
 
 OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_version_installed foo 2>&1)"
 EXIT_CODE=$?
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "foo" is not yet installed'
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "foo" is not yet installed.
+
+You need to run "nvm install foo" to install it before using it.'
 [ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "expected 'nvm_ensure_version_installed foo' to give $EXPECTED_OUTPUT, got $OUTPUT"
 [ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "expected 'nvm_ensure_version_installed foo' to exit with 1, got $EXIT_CODE"
 
@@ -23,7 +25,9 @@ EXIT_CODE=$?
 # Special case for "iojs"
 OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_version_installed iojs 2>&1)"
 EXIT_CODE=$?
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "iojs" is not yet installed'
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "iojs" is not yet installed.
+
+You need to run "nvm install iojs" to install it before using it.'
 [ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "expected 'nvm_ensure_version_installed iojs' to give $EXPECTED_OUTPUT, got $OUTPUT"
 [ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "expected 'nvm_ensure_version_installed iojs' to exit with 1, got $EXIT_CODE"
 
diff --git "a/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run 0.x\" should error out sensibly when 0.x is not installed" "b/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run 0.x\" should error out sensibly when 0.x is not installed"
index bde5867..5a2aef2 100755
--- "a/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run 0.x\" should error out sensibly when 0.x is not installed"	
+++ "b/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run 0.x\" should error out sensibly when 0.x is not installed"	
@@ -5,5 +5,12 @@ die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
 
 . ../../../nvm.sh
 
-[ "$(nvm run 0.2 --version 2>&1)" = 'N/A: version "v0.2" is not yet installed' ] || die "\`nvm run\` with an uninstalled node version failed to error out correctly"
-[ "$(nvm run iojs-0.2 --version 2>&1)" = 'N/A: version "iojs-v0.2" is not yet installed' ] || die "\`nvm run\` with an uninstalled iojs version failed to error out correctly"
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "v0.2" is not yet installed.
+
+You need to run "nvm install 0.2" to install it before using it.'
+[ "_$(nvm run 0.2 --version 2>&1)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "\`nvm run\` with an uninstalled node version failed to error out correctly"
+
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT='N/A: version "iojs-v0.2" is not yet installed.
+
+You need to run "nvm install iojs-0.2" to install it before using it.'
+[ "_$(nvm run iojs-0.2 --version 2>&1)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "\`nvm run\` with an uninstalled iojs version failed to error out correctly"