diff --git a/server/core/config.cc b/server/core/config.cc
index f0d44e12d..ac05083b9 100644
--- a/server/core/config.cc
+++ b/server/core/config.cc
@@ -917,6 +917,7 @@ config_load_and_process(const char* filename, bool (*process_config)(CONFIG_CONT
 {
     bool rval = false;
     DUPLICATE_CONTEXT dcontext;
+    bool have_persisted_configs = false;
 
     if (duplicate_context_init(&dcontext))
     {
@@ -950,8 +951,12 @@ config_load_and_process(const char* filename, bool (*process_config)(CONFIG_CONT
                  * TODO: Figure out a cleaner way to do this
                  */
                 is_persisted_config = true;
+                have_persisted_configs = true;
 
-                MXS_NOTICE("Loading generated configuration files from '%s'", persist_cnf);
+                MXS_NOTICE("Runtime configuration changes have been done to MaxScale. Loading persisted "
+                           "configuration files and applying them on top of the main configuration file. "
+                           "These changes can override the values of the main configuration file: "
+                           "To revert them, remove all the files in '%s'.", persist_cnf);
                 DUPLICATE_CONTEXT p_dcontext;
                 /**
                  * We need to initialize a second duplicate context for the
@@ -977,12 +982,12 @@ config_load_and_process(const char* filename, bool (*process_config)(CONFIG_CONT
                 if (!check_config_objects(config_context.next) || !process_config(config_context.next))
                 {
                     rval = false;
-                    if (contains_cnf_files(persist_cnf))
+                    if (have_persisted_configs)
                     {
-                        MXS_WARNING("One or more generated configurations were found at '%s'. "
-                                    "If the error relates to any of the files located there, "
-                                    "remove the offending configurations from this directory.",
-                                    persist_cnf);
+                        MXS_WARNING("Persisted configuration files generated by runtime configuration "
+                                    "changes were found at '%s' and at least one configuration error was "
+                                    "encountered. If the errors relate to any of the persisted configuration "
+                                    "files, remove the offending files and restart MaxScale.", persist_cnf);
                     }
                 }
             }