diff --git a/volatility3/framework/layers/vmware.py b/volatility3/framework/layers/vmware.py
index 0bc1a350b..622ff0250 100644
--- a/volatility3/framework/layers/vmware.py
+++ b/volatility3/framework/layers/vmware.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import contextlib
 import logging
 import struct
+import os
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
 from volatility3.framework import constants, exceptions, interfaces
@@ -232,6 +233,11 @@ class VmwareStacker(interfaces.automagic.StackerLayerInterface):
             )
 
             if not vmss_success and not vmsn_success:
+                vmem_file_basename = os.path.basename(location)
+                example_vmss_file_basename = os.path.basename(vmss)
+                vollog.warning(
+                    f"No metadata file found alongside VMEM file. A VMSS or VMSN file may be required to correctly process a VMEM file. These should be placed in the same directory with the same file name, e.g. {vmem_file_basename} and {example_vmss_file_basename}.",
+                )
                 return None
             new_layer_name = context.layers.free_layer_name("VmwareLayer")
             context.config[