diff --git a/pkg/projectfile/yamlfield.go b/pkg/projectfile/yamlfield.go
index 2217d37a4b..13b5691530 100644
--- a/pkg/projectfile/yamlfield.go
+++ b/pkg/projectfile/yamlfield.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/errs"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/locale"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/osutils"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
 
@@ -56,6 +58,11 @@ func (y *yamlField) Save(path string) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := os.WriteFile(path, out, 0664); err != nil {
+		if osutils.IsAccessDeniedError(err) {
+			return locale.WrapInputError(err, "err_migrate_projectfile_access_denied",
+				"Your project file at '{{.V0}}' is out of date, but State Tool does not have permission to update it. Please make it writeable or re-checkout the project to a writeable location.",
+				path)
+		}
 		return errs.Wrap(err, "ioutil.WriteFile %s failed", path)
 	}