diff --git a/lisp/doom.el b/lisp/doom.el
index cb95113b8..00e5f2cad 100644
--- a/lisp/doom.el
+++ b/lisp/doom.el
@@ -73,25 +73,26 @@
   (when (< emacs-major-version 27)
     (user-error
      (concat
-      "Detected Emacs " emacs-version ", but Doom requires 27.1 or newer.\n\n"
-      "The version of Emacs in use is located at:\n\n  " (car command-line-args) "\n\n"
-      "A guide for installing a newer version of Emacs can be found at:\n\n  "
+      "Detected Emacs " emacs-version ", but Doom requires 27.1 or newer (28.1 is\n\n"
+      "recommended). The current Emacs executable in use is:\n\n  " (car command-line-args)
+      "\n\nA guide for installing a newer version of Emacs can be found at:\n\n  "
       (format "https://docs.doomemacs.org/-/install/%s"
               (cond ((eq system-type 'darwin) "on-macos")
                     ((memq system-type '(cygwin windows-nt ms-dos)) "on-windows")
                     ("on-linux")))
       "\n\n"
-      (if (not noninteractive)
-          (concat "If you believe this error is a mistake, run 'doom doctor' on the command line\n"
-                  "to diagnose common issues with your config and system.")
-        (concat "Alternatively, either update your $PATH environment variable to include the\n"
-                "path of the desired Emacs executable OR alter the $EMACS environment variable\n"
-                "to specify the exact path or command needed to invoke Emacs. For example:\n\n"
-                (let ((command (ignore-errors (file-name-nondirectory (cadr (member "--load" command-line-args))))))
-                  (concat "  $ EMACS=/path/to/valid/emacs " command " ...\n"
-                          "  $ EMACS=\"/Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/Emacs\" " command " ...\n"
-                          "  $ EMACS=\"snap run emacs\" " command " ...\n"))
-                "\nAborting..."))))))
+      (if noninteractive
+          (concat "Alternatively, either update your $PATH environment variable to include the\n"
+                  "path of the desired Emacs executable OR alter the $EMACS environment variable\n"
+                  "to specify the exact path or command needed to invoke Emacs."
+                  (when-let (command (ignore-errors (file-name-nondirectory (cadr (member "--load" command-line-args)))))
+                    (concat " For example:\n\n"
+                            "  $ EMACS=/path/to/valid/emacs " command " ...\n"
+                            "  $ EMACS=\"/Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/Emacs\" " command " ...\n"
+                            "  $ EMACS=\"snap run emacs\" " command " ..."))
+                  "\n\nAborting...")
+        (concat "If you believe this error is a mistake, run 'doom doctor' on the command line\n"
+                "to diagnose common issues with your config and system."))))))
 
 ;; Doom needs to be synced/rebuilt if either Doom or Emacs has been
 ;; up/downgraded. This is because byte-code isn't backwards compatible, and many