diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 593b49d51373b27d6d5e456551fd89b30e162d60..624e08e87911755a945068ddd26fda7620148017 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ if not GSL_DIR:
     )
 BINARY_C_DIR = os.getenv("BINARY_C", None)
 if not BINARY_C_DIR:
-    print("Error: the BINARY_C environment variable is not set. Aborting setup")
-    quit()
+    print("\n\n****\n**** Error: the BINARY_C environment variable is not set.\n**** This environment variable should point to the root of your binary_c\n**** installation (i.e. the directory you acquired from the repository).\n**** Aborting setup.\n****\n\n")
+    quit(1)
 
 # TODO: write code to know exact parent directory of this file.
 CWD = os.getcwd()