diff --git a/elf.c b/elf.c
index 819e256..dcc041f 100644
--- a/elf.c
+++ b/elf.c
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ elf_nodebug (struct backtrace_state *state, uintptr_t pc,
       return bdata.ret;
     }
 
-  error_callback (data, "no debug info in ELF executable", -1);
+  error_callback (data, "no debug info in ELF executable (make sure to compile with -g)", -1);
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/macho.c b/macho.c
index fe89cee..acb0725 100644
--- a/macho.c
+++ b/macho.c
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ macho_nodebug (struct backtrace_state *state ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 	       backtrace_full_callback callback ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 	       backtrace_error_callback error_callback, void *data)
 {
-  error_callback (data, "no debug info in Mach-O executable", -1);
+  error_callback (data, "no debug info in Mach-O executable (make sure to compile with -g; may need to run dsymutil)", -1);
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/pecoff.c b/pecoff.c
index 5730a02..4e86c3f 100644
--- a/pecoff.c
+++ b/pecoff.c
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ coff_nodebug (struct backtrace_state *state ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 	      backtrace_full_callback callback ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 	      backtrace_error_callback error_callback, void *data)
 {
-  error_callback (data, "no debug info in PE/COFF executable", -1);
+  error_callback (data, "no debug info in PE/COFF executable (make sure to compile with -g)", -1);
   return 0;
 }