diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/super.c b/fs/overlayfs/super.c
index 1ce5c9698393..4c2096130209 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/super.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/super.c
@@ -1418,11 +1418,12 @@ static int ovl_make_workdir(struct super_block *sb, struct ovl_fs *ofs,
 	 */
 	err = ovl_setxattr(ofs, ofs->workdir, OVL_XATTR_OPAQUE, "0", 1);
 	if (err) {
+		pr_warn("failed to set xattr on upper\n");
 		ofs->noxattr = true;
 		if (ofs->config.index || ofs->config.metacopy) {
 			ofs->config.index = false;
 			ofs->config.metacopy = false;
-			pr_warn("upper fs does not support xattr, falling back to index=off,metacopy=off.\n");
+			pr_warn("...falling back to index=off,metacopy=off.\n");
 		}
 		/*
 		 * xattr support is required for persistent st_ino.
@@ -1430,8 +1431,10 @@ static int ovl_make_workdir(struct super_block *sb, struct ovl_fs *ofs,
 		 */
 		if (ofs->config.xino == OVL_XINO_AUTO) {
 			ofs->config.xino = OVL_XINO_OFF;
-			pr_warn("upper fs does not support xattr, falling back to xino=off.\n");
+			pr_warn("...falling back to xino=off.\n");
 		}
+		if (err == -EPERM && !ofs->config.userxattr)
+			pr_info("try mounting with 'userxattr' option\n");
 		err = 0;
 	} else {
 		ovl_removexattr(ofs, ofs->workdir, OVL_XATTR_OPAQUE);