diff --git a/commands/namespaces/update.go b/commands/namespaces/update.go
index 49c7b2f7e..fc316dc7f 100644
--- a/commands/namespaces/update.go
+++ b/commands/namespaces/update.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 package namespaces
 
 import (
+    "errors"
+    "fmt"
     "os"
 
     "github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -43,6 +45,12 @@ func NewUpdateCommand(l *zap.SugaredLogger) *cobra.Command {
                 cmd.Flags().Lookup("operator.xtradb-cluster").Changed)
 
             if err := c.Populate(cmd.Context(), false, askOperators); err != nil {
+                if errors.Is(err, namespaces.ErrNamespaceNotManagedByEverest) {
+                    err = fmt.Errorf("%w. HINT: use 'everestctl namespaces add --%s %s' first to make namespace managed by Everest",
+                        err,
+                        cli.FlagTakeNamespaceOwnership,
+                        c.Namespaces)
+                }
                 output.PrintError(err, l, !enableLogging)
                 os.Exit(1)
             }