diff --git a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/get.rs b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/get.rs
index b21681411..1fef9c3cf 100644
--- a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/get.rs
+++ b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/get.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl CommandExecute for Get {
     fn execute(self) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let metadata = crate::metadata::metadata(&Default::default(), self.manifest_path.as_ref())
             .wrap_err("couldn't get cargo metadata")?;
-        crate::metadata::validate(&metadata)?;
+        crate::metadata::validate(self.manifest_path.as_ref(), &metadata)?;
         let package_manifest_path =
             crate::manifest::manifest_path(&metadata, self.package.as_ref())
                 .wrap_err("Couldn't get manifest path")?;
diff --git a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/install.rs b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/install.rs
index 40bb589b8..b75de2563 100644
--- a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/install.rs
+++ b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/install.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl CommandExecute for Install {
     fn execute(mut self) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let metadata = crate::metadata::metadata(&self.features, self.manifest_path.as_ref())
             .wrap_err("couldn't get cargo metadata")?;
-        crate::metadata::validate(&metadata)?;
+        crate::metadata::validate(self.manifest_path.as_ref(), &metadata)?;
         let package_manifest_path =
             crate::manifest::manifest_path(&metadata, self.package.as_ref())
                 .wrap_err("Couldn't get manifest path")?;
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ pub(crate) fn get_version(manifest_path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> eyre::Result<Strin
             if v == "@CARGO_VERSION@" {
                 let metadata = crate::metadata::metadata(&Default::default(), Some(&manifest_path))
                     .wrap_err("couldn't get cargo metadata")?;
-                crate::metadata::validate(&metadata)?;
+                crate::metadata::validate(Some(manifest_path), &metadata)?;
                 let manifest_path = crate::manifest::manifest_path(&metadata, None)
                     .wrap_err("Couldn't get manifest path")?;
                 let manifest = Manifest::from_path(&manifest_path)
diff --git a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/package.rs b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/package.rs
index f84c0e361..b45be184e 100644
--- a/cargo-pgrx/src/command/package.rs
+++ b/cargo-pgrx/src/command/package.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl CommandExecute for Package {
     fn execute(mut self) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let metadata = crate::metadata::metadata(&self.features, self.manifest_path.as_ref())
             .wrap_err("couldn't get cargo metadata")?;
-        crate::metadata::validate(&metadata)?;
+        crate::metadata::validate(self.manifest_path.as_ref(), &metadata)?;
         let package_manifest_path =
             crate::manifest::manifest_path(&metadata, self.package.as_ref())
                 .wrap_err("Couldn't get manifest path")?;
diff --git a/cargo-pgrx/src/manifest.rs b/cargo-pgrx/src/manifest.rs
index cdaf042b8..9b52fddab 100644
--- a/cargo-pgrx/src/manifest.rs
+++ b/cargo-pgrx/src/manifest.rs
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ pub(crate) fn get_package_manifest(
 ) -> eyre::Result<(Manifest, PathBuf)> {
     let metadata = crate::metadata::metadata(&features, manifest_path.as_ref())
         .wrap_err("couldn't get cargo metadata")?;
-    crate::metadata::validate(&metadata)?;
+    crate::metadata::validate(manifest_path.as_ref(), &metadata)?;
     let package_manifest_path = crate::manifest::manifest_path(&metadata, package_nane)
         .wrap_err("Couldn't get manifest path")?;
 
diff --git a/cargo-pgrx/src/metadata.rs b/cargo-pgrx/src/metadata.rs
index e3be1d8d4..0de096d34 100644
--- a/cargo-pgrx/src/metadata.rs
+++ b/cargo-pgrx/src/metadata.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 //LICENSE Portions Copyright 2019-2021 ZomboDB, LLC.
 //LICENSE
 //LICENSE Portions Copyright 2021-2023 Technology Concepts & Design, Inc.
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 //LICENSE Use of this source code is governed by the MIT license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 use cargo_metadata::{Metadata, MetadataCommand};
 use eyre::eyre;
+use owo_colors::*;
 use semver::VersionReq;
 use std::path::Path;
 
@@ -26,7 +28,10 @@ pub fn metadata(
 }
 
 #[tracing::instrument(level = "error", skip_all)]
-pub fn validate(metadata: &Metadata) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+pub fn validate(
+    path: Option<impl AsRef<std::path::Path>>,
+    metadata: &Metadata,
+) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let cargo_pgrx_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
     let cargo_pgrx_version_req = VersionReq::parse(&format!("~{}", cargo_pgrx_version))?;
 
@@ -37,17 +42,11 @@ pub fn validate(metadata: &Metadata) -> eyre::Result<()> {
             || package.name == "pgrx-tests"
     });
 
+    let mut mismatches = BTreeMap::new();
     for package in pgrx_packages {
         let package_semver = package.version.clone();
         if !cargo_pgrx_version_req.matches(&package_semver) {
-            return Err(eyre!(
-                r#"`{}-{}` shouldn't be used with `cargo-pgrx-{}`, please use `{} = "~{}"` in your `Cargo.toml`."#,
-                package.name,
-                package.version,
-                cargo_pgrx_version,
-                package.name,
-                cargo_pgrx_version,
-            ));
+            mismatches.insert(package.name.clone(), package.version.clone());
         } else {
             tracing::trace!(
                 "`{}-{}` is compatible with `cargo-pgrx-{}`.",
@@ -58,5 +57,24 @@ pub fn validate(metadata: &Metadata) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         }
     }
 
+    if !mismatches.is_empty() {
+        let many = mismatches.len();
+        let mismatches = mismatches
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|(p, v)| format!("`{p} = {v}`"))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join(", ");
+
+        return Err(eyre!(
+            "The installed `cargo-pgrx` v{cargo_pgrx_version} \
+            is not compatible with the {mismatches} {} in `{}`. `cargo-pgrx` \
+            and pgrx dependency versions must be identical.",
+            if many == 1 { "dependency" } else { "dependencies" },
+            path.map(|p| p.as_ref().display().to_string())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| "./Cargo.toml".to_string())
+                .yellow()
+        ));
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }