diff --git a/core/core-modules.el b/core/core-modules.el
index a88a9dfdd..48624a73b 100644
--- a/core/core-modules.el
+++ b/core/core-modules.el
@@ -330,7 +330,9 @@ This value is cached. If REFRESH-P, then don't use the cached value."
 ;; packages with package.el, by copying over old `use-package' declarations with
 ;; an :ensure t property. Doom doesn't use package.el, so this will throw an
 ;; error that will confuse beginners, so we disable `:ensure'.
-(setq use-package-ensure-function #'ignore)
+(setq use-package-ensure-function
+      (lambda (name &rest _)
+        (message "Ignoring ':ensure t' in '%s' config" name)))
 ;; ...On the other hand, if the user has loaded `package', then we should assume
 ;; they know what they're doing and restore the old behavior:
 (add-transient-hook! 'package-initialize