diff --git a/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/ConsoleControl.py b/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/ConsoleControl.py
index 4d49fd6d4..9c0bea6dc 100644
--- a/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/ConsoleControl.py
+++ b/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/ConsoleControl.py
@@ -29,7 +29,14 @@ class ConsoleControl(basic.LineReceiver):
 
     def send_initial_prompt(self):
         self.sendLine("")
-        self.sendLine("Welcome to lbrynet-console!")
+        self.sendLine("In this early release of LBRY, some functions will not work\n"
+                      "until you have downloaded a full copy of our blockchain. To\n"
+                      "check whether you've caught up with the blockchain, use the\n"
+                      "command 'get-blockchain-status'.\n\n"
+                      "If, for example, you are unable to download some files or\n"
+                      "your balance is showing 0 when you know it shouldn't be, it\n"
+                      "is likely that the culprit is the blockchain.\n\n"
+                      "Welcome to lbrynet-console!")
         self.sendLine("")
         self.sendLine("Enter a command. Try 'get wonderfullife' or 'help' to see more options.")
         self.show_prompt()
diff --git a/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/LBRYConsole.py b/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/LBRYConsole.py
index 834cfc355..2b284597b 100644
--- a/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/LBRYConsole.py
+++ b/lbrynet/lbrynet_console/LBRYConsole.py
@@ -320,11 +320,10 @@ class LBRYConsole():
         if credits_received != 0.0:
             points_string = locale.format_string("%.2f LBC", (round(credits_received, 2),),
                                                  grouping=True)
-            alert.info("Thank you for using LBRY! You have been given %s for free because we "
-                       "love you. Please give them a few minutes to show up while you catch up "
-                       "with our blockchain.\nTo check whether you've caught up with the blockchain, "
-                       "use the command 'get-blockchain-status'.\nDownloading some files "
-                       "may not work until you have downloaded the LBC blockchain.", points_string)
+            alert.info("\n\nThank you for testing the alpha version of LBRY!\n\n"
+                       "You have been given %s for free because we love you.\n"
+                       "Please give them a few minutes to show up while you\n"
+                       "catch up with our blockchain.\n", points_string)
 
     def _setup_lbry_file_manager(self):
         self.lbry_file_metadata_manager = DBLBRYFileMetadataManager(self.db_dir)