diff --git a/ksqldb-streams/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocator.java b/ksqldb-streams/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocator.java
index 876457dc2d6a..5d85c22007c5 100644
--- a/ksqldb-streams/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocator.java
+++ b/ksqldb-streams/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocator.java
@@ -89,10 +89,11 @@ public List<KsqlPartitionLocation> locate(
 
       // Fail fast if Streams not ready. Let client handle it
       if (metadata == KeyQueryMetadata.NOT_AVAILABLE) {
-        LOG.debug("KeyQueryMetadata not available for state store {} and key {}",
+        LOG.debug("KeyQueryMetadata not available for state store '{}' and key {}",
             stateStoreName, key);
         throw new MaterializationException(String.format(
-            "KeyQueryMetadata not available for state store %s and key %s", stateStoreName, key));
+            "Materialized data for key %s is not available yet. "
+                + "Please try again later.", key));
       }
 
       LOG.debug("Handling pull query for key {} in partition {} of state store {}.",
diff --git a/ksqldb-streams/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocatorTest.java b/ksqldb-streams/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocatorTest.java
index 75892e57f149..091e9d48acb0 100644
--- a/ksqldb-streams/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocatorTest.java
+++ b/ksqldb-streams/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/execution/streams/materialization/ks/KsLocatorTest.java
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public void shouldThrowIfMetadataNotAvailable() {
 
     // Then:
     assertThat(e.getMessage(), containsString(
-        "KeyQueryMetadata not available for state store someStoreName and key [1]"));
+        "Materialized data for key [1] is not available yet. Please try again later."));
   }
 
   @Test