diff --git a/src/ca/repeaterSubscribeTimer.cpp b/src/ca/repeaterSubscribeTimer.cpp
index 22335e42f..399d19a85 100644
--- a/src/ca/repeaterSubscribeTimer.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/repeaterSubscribeTimer.cpp
@@ -47,9 +47,12 @@ epicsTimerNotify::expireStatus repeaterSubscribeTimer::
     static const unsigned nTriesToMsg = 50;
     if ( this->attempts > nTriesToMsg && ! this->once ) {
         this->iiu.printf (
-    "Unable to contact CA repeater after %u tries\n", nTriesToMsg);
+    "CA client library is unable to contact CA repeater after %u tries.\n", 
+            nTriesToMsg);
         this->iiu.printf (
     "Silence this message by starting a CA repeater daemon\n");
+        this->iiu.printf (
+    "or by calling ca_pend_event() and or ca_poll() more often.\n");
         this->once = true;
     }