diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 45c9fc571b..1073d929d9 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ workflow.
   headless projects) ([PR #1198](https://github.com/ActiveState/cli/pull/1198))
 - You can now switch between update channels
   via `state update --set-channel` ([PR #1190](https://github.com/ActiveState/cli/pull/1190))
+- State tool will now provide instructions on how to get out of a detached
+  state ([PR #1249](https://github.com/ActiveState/cli/pull/1249))
 - State tool now supports branches via flags in `state activate` and
   the `state branch` subcommand. See `state branch --help` for more information.
 
diff --git a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/activate.go b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/activate.go
index f17ffc90b6..bdb55bbd6c 100644
--- a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/activate.go
+++ b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/activate.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/pkg/project"
 )
 
+const activateCmdName = "activate"
+
 func newActivateCommand(prime *primer.Values) *captain.Command {
 	runner := activate.NewActivate(prime)
 
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ func newActivateCommand(prime *primer.Values) *captain.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd := captain.NewCommand(
-		"activate",
+		activateCmdName,
 		"",
 		locale.T("activate_project"),
 		prime.Output(),
diff --git a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/cmdtree.go b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/cmdtree.go
index 7ea4021803..d3236d7884 100644
--- a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/cmdtree.go
+++ b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/cmdtree.go
@@ -4,11 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/intercepts/cmdcall"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/captain"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/condition"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/locale"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/logging"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/output"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/primer"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/runners/state"
 	secretsapi "github.com/ActiveState/cli/pkg/platform/api/secrets"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/pkg/project"
 )
 
 // CmdTree manages a tree of captain.Command instances.
@@ -266,7 +269,7 @@ func newStateCommand(globals *globalOptions, prime *primer.Values) *captain.Comm
 
 	cmdCall := cmdcall.New(prime)
 
-	cmd.SetInterceptChain(cmdCall.InterceptExec)
+	cmd.SetInterceptChain(cmdCall.InterceptExec, interceptAddHeadlessNotify(prime.Output(), prime.Project()))
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -312,3 +315,16 @@ func (a *addCmdAs) deprecatedAlias(aliased *captain.Command, name string) {
 
 	a.parent.AddChildren(cmd)
 }
+
+func interceptAddHeadlessNotify(out output.Outputer, pj *project.Project) captain.InterceptFunc {
+	return func(next captain.ExecuteFunc) captain.ExecuteFunc {
+		return func(cmd *captain.Command, args []string) error {
+			if pj != nil && pj.IsHeadless() && (cmd.Group() == PackagesGroup || cmd.Name() == activateCmdName) {
+				out.Notice(output.Heading(locale.Tr("headless_notify_title")))
+				out.Notice(locale.Tr("headless_notify", pj.URL(), constants.DocumentationURLHeadless))
+			}
+
+			return next(cmd, args)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/constants/constants.go b/internal/constants/constants.go
index 4de4f80eaf..dcd810cb2a 100644
--- a/internal/constants/constants.go
+++ b/internal/constants/constants.go
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ const PlatformSignupURL = "https://platform.activestate.com" + "/create-account"
 // DocumentationURL is the url for the state tool documentation
 const DocumentationURL = "http://docs.activestate.com/platform/state/"
 
+// DocumentationURLHeadless is the documentation URL for headless state docs
+const DocumentationURLHeadless = DocumentationURL + "advanced-topics/detached/"
+
 // BugTrackerURL is the URL of our bug tracker
 const BugTrackerURL = "https://github.com/ActiveState/state-tool/issues"
 
diff --git a/locale/en-us.yaml b/locale/en-us.yaml
index 201169853c..96eb489216 100644
--- a/locale/en-us.yaml
+++ b/locale/en-us.yaml
@@ -1654,3 +1654,10 @@ err_fetch_branch:
   other: "Cold not get branch [NOTICE]{{.V0}}[/RESET] for project"
 err_refresh_runtime:
   other: "Failed to update runtime"
+headless_notify_title:
+  other: Detached State
+headless_notify:
+  other: |
+    Any changes you make are local only and will not be saved the platform. Visit: [ACTIONABLE]{{.V0}}[/RESET] to create a platform project from this commit.
+
+    For more information, including how to merge these changes into an existing project, visit: [ACTIONABLE]{{.V1}}[/RESET].
diff --git a/test/integration/package_int_test.go b/test/integration/package_int_test.go
index 670d8956ce..5cf36100b3 100644
--- a/test/integration/package_int_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/package_int_test.go
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ func (suite *PackageIntegrationTestSuite) TestPackage_headless_operation() {
 
 	suite.Run("install (update)", func() {
 		cp := ts.Spawn("install", "dateparser@0.7.6")
+		cp.ExpectLongString("Any changes you make are local only")
 		cp.ExpectRe("(?:Package updated|project is currently building)", 50*time.Second)
 		cp.Wait()
 	})
diff --git a/version.txt b/version.txt
index af2dabf3ff..4e8f395fa5 100644
--- a/version.txt
+++ b/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.25.1
+0.26.0