diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/conf.py b/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
index 18bd23b4c..29a5317f3 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
@@ -341,11 +341,17 @@ def check(self):
             assert self.FAKE_DATA_RUNTIME, "Local runtime .squashfs build not specified"
             assert self.FAKE_DATA_VOLUME, "Local data volume .squashfs not specified"
 
-            assert isdir(self.FAKE_DATA_PROGRAM), "Local fake program directory is missing"
-            assert isfile(self.FAKE_DATA_MESSAGE), "Local fake message is missing"
-            assert isdir(self.FAKE_DATA_DATA), "Local fake data directory is missing"
-            assert isfile(self.FAKE_DATA_RUNTIME), "Local runtime .squashfs build is missing"
-            assert isfile(self.FAKE_DATA_VOLUME), "Local data volume .squashfs is missing"
+            assert isdir(
+                self.FAKE_DATA_PROGRAM
+            ), f"Local fake program directory is missing, no directory '{self.FAKE_DATA_PROGRAM}'"
+            assert isfile(self.FAKE_DATA_MESSAGE), f"Local fake message '{self.FAKE_DATA_MESSAGE}' not found"
+            assert isdir(self.FAKE_DATA_DATA), f"Local fake data directory '{self.FAKE_DATA_DATA}' is missing"
+            assert isfile(
+                self.FAKE_DATA_RUNTIME
+            ), f"Local runtime '{self.FAKE_DATA_RUNTIME}' is missing, did you build it ?"
+            assert isfile(
+                self.FAKE_DATA_VOLUME
+            ), f"Local data volume '{self.FAKE_DATA_VOLUME}' is missing, did you build it ?"
 
         assert is_command_available("setfacl"), "Command `setfacl` not found, run `apt install acl`"
         if self.USE_NDP_PROXY: