diff --git a/src/nix/profile.cc b/src/nix/profile.cc
index 55b5ff736..508cbd336 100644
--- a/src/nix/profile.cc
+++ b/src/nix/profile.cc
@@ -410,12 +410,16 @@ struct CmdProfileUpgrade : virtual SourceExprCommand, MixDefaultProfile, MixProf
         // FIXME: code duplication
         std::vector<DerivedPath> pathsToBuild;
 
+        auto upgradedCount = 0;
+
         for (size_t i = 0; i < manifest.elements.size(); ++i) {
             auto & element(manifest.elements[i]);
             if (element.source
                 && !element.source->originalRef.input.isImmutable()
                 && matches(*store, element, i, matchers))
             {
+                upgradedCount++;
+
                 Activity act(*logger, lvlChatty, actUnknown,
                     fmt("checking '%s' for updates", element.source->attrPath));
 
@@ -448,6 +452,19 @@ struct CmdProfileUpgrade : virtual SourceExprCommand, MixDefaultProfile, MixProf
             }
         }
 
+        if (upgradedCount == 0) {
+            for (auto & matcher : matchers) {
+                if (const size_t* index = std::get_if<size_t>(&matcher)){
+                    warn("'%d' is not a valid index in profile", *index);
+                } else if (const Path* path = std::get_if<Path>(&matcher)){
+                    warn("'%s' does not match any paths in profile", *path);
+                } else if (const RegexPattern* regex = std::get_if<RegexPattern>(&matcher)){
+                    warn("'%s' does not match any packages in profile", regex->pattern);
+                }
+            }
+            warn ("Use 'nix profile list' to see the current profile.");
+        }
+
         store->buildPaths(pathsToBuild);
 
         updateProfile(manifest.build(store));