--- a/build/moz.configure/java.configure
+++ b/build/moz.configure/java.configure
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ javac = check_java_tool('javac')
 @checking('for javac version')
 @imports('subprocess')
 def javac_version(javac):
     try:
         output = subprocess.check_output([javac, '-version'],
                                          stderr=subprocess.STDOUT).rstrip()
         version = Version(output.split(' ')[-1])
         if version < '1.8':
-            die('javac 1.8 or higher is required (found %s)' % version)
+            die('javac 1.8 or higher is required (found %s). Check the JAVA_HOME environment variable.' % version)
         return version
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
         die('Failed to get javac version: %s', e.output)

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/configure/test_checks_configure.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/configure/test_checks_configure.py
@@ -650,17 +650,17 @@ class TestChecksConfigure(unittest.TestC
         self.assertEqual(out, textwrap.dedent('''\
              checking for java... %s
              checking for javah... %s
              checking for jar... %s
              checking for jarsigner... %s
              checking for keytool... %s
              checking for javac... %s
              checking for javac version... 
-             ERROR: javac 1.8 or higher is required (found 1.6.9)
+             ERROR: javac 1.8 or higher is required (found 1.6.9). Check the JAVA_HOME environment variable.
         ''' % (java, javah, jar, jarsigner, keytool, javac)))
 
         # Any missing tool is fatal when these checks run.
         del paths[jarsigner]
         config, out, status = self.get_result(includes=includes,
                                               extra_paths=paths,
                                               environ={
                                                   'PATH': mozpath.dirname(java)