diff --git a/dvc/lock.py b/dvc/lock.py
index 27ca67229d..147118c0fe 100644
--- a/dvc/lock.py
+++ b/dvc/lock.py
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 5
 
+FAILED_TO_LOCK_MESSAGE = (
+    "cannot perform the command because another DVC process seems to be "
+    "running on this project. If that is not the case, manually remove "
+    "`.dvc/lock` and try again."
+)
+
 
 class LockError(DvcException):
     """Thrown when unable to acquire the lock for dvc repo."""
@@ -71,10 +77,7 @@ def lock(self):
             try:
                 super(Lock, self).lock(timedelta(seconds=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT))
             except flufl.lock.TimeOutError:
-                raise LockError(
-                    "cannot perform the cmd since DVC is busy and "
-                    "locked. Please retry the cmd later."
-                )
+                raise LockError(FAILED_TO_LOCK_MESSAGE)
 
         def _set_claimfile(self, pid=None):
             super(Lock, self)._set_claimfile(pid)
@@ -119,10 +122,7 @@ def _do_lock(self):
             try:
                 self._lock = zc.lockfile.LockFile(self.lockfile)
             except zc.lockfile.LockError:
-                raise LockError(
-                    "cannot perform the cmd since DVC is busy and "
-                    "locked. Please retry the cmd later."
-                )
+                raise LockError(FAILED_TO_LOCK_MESSAGE)
 
         def lock(self):
             try:
diff --git a/dvc/main.py b/dvc/main.py
index b18117f792..660f9420d4 100644
--- a/dvc/main.py
+++ b/dvc/main.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 from dvc.exceptions import DvcParserError
 from dvc.exceptions import NotDvcRepoError
 from dvc.external_repo import clean_repos
-from dvc.lock import LockError
 from dvc.logger import FOOTER
 from dvc.remote.pool import close_pools
 from dvc.utils.compat import is_py2
@@ -48,9 +47,6 @@ def main(argv=None):
 
         cmd = args.func(args)
         ret = cmd.run()
-    except LockError:
-        logger.exception("failed to lock before running a command")
-        ret = 250
     except ConfigError:
         logger.exception("configuration error")
         ret = 251