diff --git a/tools/database/database.c b/tools/database/database.c
index 1e954d25b7..a518ae8faa 100644
--- a/tools/database/database.c
+++ b/tools/database/database.c
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "tagcache.h"
@@ -17,17 +19,28 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     (void)argc;
     (void)argv;
 
-    errno = 0;
-    if (mkdir(ROCKBOX_DIR) == -1 && errno != EEXIST)
+    fprintf(stderr, "Rockbox database tool for '%s'\n\n", TARGET_NAME);
+
+    DIR* rbdir = opendir(ROCKBOX_DIR);
+    if (!rbdir) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find the '%s' directory!\n", ROCKBOX_DIR);
+        fprintf(stderr, "This needs to be executed in your DAP's top-level directory!\n\n");
         return 1;
+    }
+    closedir(rbdir);
 
     /* / is actually ., will get translated in io.c
      * (with the help of sim_root_dir below */
     const char *paths[] = { "/", NULL };
     tagcache_init();
+
+    fprintf(stderr, "Scanning files (make take some time)...");
+
     do_tagcache_build(paths);
     tagcache_reverse_scan();
 
+    fprintf(stderr, "...done!\n");
+
     return 0;
 }