diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 926258d..bafc08d 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -471,7 +471,11 @@ fn resolve_mostro_pubkey(cli: &Cli) -> Result<String> {
                 "MOSTRO_PUBKEY not set.\n\
              Provide it using one of the following methods:\n\
              1) --mostropubkey <npub>\n\
-             2) export MOSTRO_PUBKEY=<npub>"
+             2) export MOSTRO_PUBKEY=<npub>\n\n\
+             mostro-cli does not read any config file. To avoid re-exporting every\n\
+             time, put the exports in a file (e.g. ~/.config/mostro/env.sh) and\n\
+             `source` it before running the CLI.\n\
+             See https://github.com/MostroP2P/mostro-cli#configuration"
             )
         })
 }
@@ -487,7 +491,11 @@ fn resolve_relays() -> Result<String> {
             "RELAYS not set.\n\
              Provide it using one of the following methods:\n\
              1) --relays <relay[,relay...]>\n\
-             2) export RELAYS=<relay[,relay...]>"
+             2) export RELAYS=<relay[,relay...]>\n\n\
+             mostro-cli does not read any config file. To avoid re-exporting every\n\
+             time, put the exports in a file (e.g. ~/.config/mostro/env.sh) and\n\
+             `source` it before running the CLI.\n\
+             See https://github.com/MostroP2P/mostro-cli#configuration"
         )),
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli_functions.rs b/tests/cli_functions.rs
index 1faaec4..768722a 100644
--- a/tests/cli_functions.rs
+++ b/tests/cli_functions.rs
@@ -373,3 +373,15 @@ mod maintenance_commands {
         );
     }
 }
+
+// ── missing configuration guidance ─────────────────────────────────────────
+mod missing_config_guidance {
+    use clap::Parser;
+    use mostro_client::cli::Cli;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn missing_mostro_pubkey_message_content() {
+        let cli = Cli::try_parse_from(["mostro-cli", "listorders"]).unwrap();
+        assert!(cli.mostropubkey.is_none());
+    }
+}