diff --git a/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.test.ts b/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.test.ts
index bc6b319ebcc8..2784c6f19f38 100644
--- a/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.test.ts
+++ b/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.test.ts
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ describe('CsfFile', () => {
         `,
           true
         )
-      ).toThrow('CSF: unexpected storiesOf call');
+      ).toThrow('Unexpected `storiesOf` usage:');
     });
 
     it('function exports', () => {
diff --git a/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.ts b/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.ts
index 266dd66027d4..bc0d6400827e 100644
--- a/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.ts
+++ b/code/lib/csf-tools/src/CsfFile.ts
@@ -414,9 +414,10 @@ export class CsfFile {
           const { callee } = node;
           if (t.isIdentifier(callee) && callee.name === 'storiesOf') {
             throw new Error(dedent`
-              CSF: unexpected storiesOf call ${formatLocation(node, self._fileName)}
+              Unexpected \`storiesOf\` usage: ${formatLocation(node, self._fileName)}.
 
-              More info: https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/blob/next/MIGRATION.md#story-store-v7
+              In SB7, we use the next-generation \`storyStoreV7\` by default, which does not support \`storiesOf\`. 
+              More info, with details about how to opt-out here: https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/blob/next/MIGRATION.md#storystorev7-enabled-by-default
             `);
           }
         },