diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
index 10c758cc213..6223a8c3cd3 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Init/Interactive/Command.hs
@@ -328,7 +328,11 @@ licensePrompt flags = getLicense flags $ do
 
     case simpleParsec l of
       Nothing -> do
-        putStrLn "The license must be a valid SPDX expression."
+        putStrLn ( "The license must be a valid SPDX expression:"
+                ++ "\n - On the SPDX License List: https://spdx.org/licenses/"
+                ++ "\n - NONE, if you do not want to grant any license"
+                ++ "\n - LicenseRef-( alphanumeric | - | . )+"
+                 )
         licensePrompt flags
       Just l' -> return l'
   where