diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_board_spiflash.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_board_spiflash.c
index 026733b4449..67c82595be1 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_board_spiflash.c
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_board_spiflash.c
@@ -204,6 +204,12 @@ static int setup_smartfs(int smartn, struct mtd_dev_s *mtd,
       if (ret < 0)
         {
           ferr("ERROR: Failed to mount the FS volume: %d\n", ret);
+          if (ret == -ENODEV)
+            {
+              fwarn("Smartfs seems unformatted. "
+                    "Did you run 'mksmartfs /dev/smart%d'?\n", smartn);
+            }
+
           return ret;
         }
     }
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32s2/common/src/esp32s2_board_spiflash.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32s2/common/src/esp32s2_board_spiflash.c
index 64131350fb1..e3dc6f172ee 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32s2/common/src/esp32s2_board_spiflash.c
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32s2/common/src/esp32s2_board_spiflash.c
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@ static int setup_smartfs(int smartn, struct mtd_dev_s *mtd,
       if (ret < 0)
         {
           ferr("ERROR: Failed to mount the FS volume: %d\n", ret);
+          if (ret == -ENODEV)
+            {
+              fwarn("Smartfs seems unformatted. "
+                    "Did you run 'mksmartfs /dev/smart%d'?\n", smartn);
+            }
+
           return ret;
         }
     }
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32s3/common/src/esp32s3_board_spiflash.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32s3/common/src/esp32s3_board_spiflash.c
index 56340aadc05..5a024c87b17 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32s3/common/src/esp32s3_board_spiflash.c
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32s3/common/src/esp32s3_board_spiflash.c
@@ -106,6 +106,12 @@ static int setup_smartfs(int smartn, struct mtd_dev_s *mtd,
       if (ret < 0)
         {
           ferr("ERROR: Failed to mount the FS volume: %d\n", ret);
+          if (ret == -ENODEV)
+            {
+              fwarn("Smartfs seems unformatted. "
+                    "Did you run 'mksmartfs /dev/smart%d'?\n", smartn);
+            }
+
           return ret;
         }
     }