diff --git a/config/prod.exs b/config/prod.exs
index adbce5606..0e151000b 100644
--- a/config/prod.exs
+++ b/config/prod.exs
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@
 
 # Finally import the config/prod.secret.exs
 # which should be versioned separately.
-import_config "prod.secret.exs"
+if File.exists?("./config/prod.secret.exs") do
+  import_config "prod.secret.exs"
+else
+  "`config/prod.secret.exs` not found. You may want to create one by running `mix pleroma.instance gen`"
+  |> IO.warn([])
+end
 
 if File.exists?("./config/prod.exported_from_db.secret.exs"),
   do: import_config("prod.exported_from_db.secret.exs")