diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 514fa29e0..e00bde464 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ var Config = function(options) {
   this.events = options.events;
   this.embarkConfig = {};
   this.context = options.context || [constants.contexts.any];
+  this.shownNoAccountConfigMsg = false; // flag to ensure "no account config" message is only displayed once to the user
 
   self.events.setCommandHandler("config:contractsConfig", (cb) => {
     cb(self.contractsConfig);
@@ -183,13 +184,30 @@ Config.prototype.loadBlockchainConfigFile = function() {
   if (!configFilePath) {
     this.blockchainConfig.default = true;
   }
-  if (!this.blockchainConfig.account && !this.blockchainConfig.isDev &&
+  if (
+    !this.shownNoAccountConfigMsg &&
+    (/rinkeby|testnet|livenet/).test(this.blockchainConfig.networkType) && 
+    !(this.blockchainConfig.account && this.blockchainConfig.account.address && this.blockchainConfig.account.password) && 
+    !this.blockchainConfig.isDev &&
     this.env !== 'development' && this.env !== 'test') {
-    this.logger.warn(
-      __('Account settings are needed for this chain.' +
-        ' Please put a valid address and possibly a password in your blockchain config or use a dev chain.')
-    );
-  }
+      this.logger.warn((
+        '\n=== ' + __('Cannot unlock account - account config missing').bold + ' ===\n' +
+        __('Geth is configured to sync to a testnet/livenet and needs to unlock an account ' + 
+        'to allow your dApp to interact with geth, however, the address and password must ' +
+        'be specified in your blockchain config. Please update your blockchain config with ' +
+        'a valid address and password: \n') +
+        ` - config/blockchain.js > ${this.env} > account\n\n`.italic +
+        __('Please also make sure the keystore file for the account is located at: ') +
+        '\n - Mac: ' + `~/Library/Ethereum/${this.env}/keystore`.italic +
+        '\n - Linux: ' + `~/.ethereum/${this.env}/keystore`.italic +
+        '\n - Windows: ' + `%APPDATA%\Ethereum/${this.env}/keystore`.italic) +
+        __('\n\nAlternatively, you could change ' +
+        `config/blockchain.js > ${this.env} > networkType`.italic + 
+        __(' to ') +
+        '"custom"\n'.italic).yellow
+      );
+      this.shownNoAccountConfigMsg = true;
+    }
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadContractsConfigFile = function() {