diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
index be5285255b..214df2c375 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
@@ -237,7 +237,9 @@ Zotero.DataDirectory = {
 				let title = Zotero.getString('general.accessDenied');
 				let msg = Zotero.getString('dataDir.dirCannotBeCreated', [Zotero.appName, dataDir])
 					+ "\n\n"
-					+ Zotero.getString('dataDir.checkDirWriteAccess', Zotero.appName);
+					+ Zotero.ftl.formatValueSync(
+						'data-dir-check-parent-write-access', { path: PathUtils.parent(dataDir) }
+					);
 				
 				// The default location needs to be writable, so don't offer an alternative
 				if (isDefaultDir) {
diff --git a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.ftl b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.ftl
index 0bad3e2b73..f2b9b55842 100644
--- a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.ftl
+++ b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.ftl
@@ -1187,6 +1187,7 @@ plugins-blocked-plugin =
     .message = This plugin has been disabled by { -app-name }.
 
 data-dir-unsupported-storage = This can happen if the { -app-name } data directory is in a cloud storage folder (OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) or on a network share.
+data-dir-check-parent-write-access = Make sure you have write access to { $path } and that security software isn’t preventing { -app-name } from writing to the disk.
 
 login-manager-reset = { -app-name } was unable to read your saved login information, so it has been reset. Please log in again in the { preferences-pane-account } pane of the { -app-name } settings.
 
diff --git a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
index de5370f78b..fc3e3d899b 100644
--- a/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
+++ b/chrome/locale/en-US/zotero/zotero.properties
@@ -176,7 +176,6 @@ attachmentBasePath.clearBasePath.existingAttachments.plural    = %S existing att
 attachmentBasePath.clearBasePath.button                        = Clear Base Directory Setting
 
 dataDir.dirCannotBeCreated           = The %S data directory (%S) cannot be created.
-dataDir.checkDirWriteAccess          = Make sure you have write access to this directory and that security software isn’t preventing %S from writing to the disk.
 dataDir.databaseCannotBeOpened       = The %S database cannot be opened.
 dataDir.checkPermissions             = Make sure you have read and write permissions for all files in the %1$S data directory and that security software isn’t preventing %1$S from accessing that directory.
 dataDir.moveToDefaultLocation        = You may be able to fix this problem by moving the data directory to the new default location in your home directory. %S will automatically detect the new location.
diff --git a/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js b/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
index 24956bcdd0..e826074f6e 100644
--- a/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
+++ b/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ describe("Zotero.DataDirectory", function () {
 				
 				assert.isTrue(alertStub.calledOnce);
 				assert.include(alertStub.firstCall.args[2], dataDir);
+				assert.include(alertStub.firstCall.args[2], `write access to ${parentDir} `);
 				assert.isFalse(confirmStub.called);
 				assert.isTrue(quitStub.calledOnce);
 				assert.isFalse(await IOUtils.exists(dataDir));