diff --git a/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml b/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
index ac3d927d..b3ef9fa5 100644
--- a/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
+++ b/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
@@ -177,12 +177,13 @@
    <title>Using a standby cloned by another method</title>
    <para>
      &repmgr; supports standbys cloned by another method (e.g. using <application>barman</application>'s
-     <command>barman recover</command> command).
+     <command><ulink url="http://docs.pgbarman.org/release/2.4/#recover">barman recover</ulink></command> command).
    </para>
    <para>
      To integrate the standby as a &repmgr; node, ensure the <filename>repmgr.conf</filename>
-     file is created for the node, then execute the command
-     <command>repmgr standby clone --recovery-conf-only</command>.
+     file is created for the node, and that it has been registered using
+     <command><link linkend="repmgr-standby-register">repmgr standby register</link></command>.
+     Then execute the command <command>repmgr standby clone --recovery-conf-only</command>.
      This will create the <filename>recovery.conf</filename> file needed to attach
      the node to its upstream, and will also create a replication slot on the
      upstream node if required.
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index faacdb37..b2f58d18 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -938,7 +938,6 @@ _do_create_recovery_conf(void)
 			log_detail("%s", PQerrorMessage(source_conn));
 		}
 
-
 		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
 	}
 
@@ -955,7 +954,10 @@ _do_create_recovery_conf(void)
 		{
 			log_detail("%s", PQerrorMessage(source_conn));
 		}
-
+		else
+		{
+			log_hint(_("standby must be registered before a new recovery.conf file can be created"));
+		}
 
 		exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
 	}