diff --git a/examples/01_icetray/02_compare_sqlite_and_parquet.py b/examples/01_icetray/02_compare_sqlite_and_parquet.py
index 91bbe6f1d..75d6c18ba 100644
--- a/examples/01_icetray/02_compare_sqlite_and_parquet.py
+++ b/examples/01_icetray/02_compare_sqlite_and_parquet.py
@@ -16,7 +16,17 @@
 from graphnet.utilities.imports import has_icecube_package
 from graphnet.utilities.logging import Logger
 
-from _common_icetray import ERROR_MESSAGE_MISSING_ICETRAY
+ERROR_MESSAGE_MISSING_ICETRAY = (
+    "This example requires IceTray to be installed, which doesn't seem to be "
+    "the case. Please install IceTray; run this example in the GraphNeT "
+    "Docker container which comes with IceTray installed; or run an example "
+    "script in one of the other folders:"
+    "\n * examples/02_data/"
+    "\n * examples/03_weights/"
+    "\n * examples/04_training/"
+    "\n * examples/05_pisa/"
+    "\nExiting."
+)
 
 OUTPUT_DIR = f"{EXAMPLE_OUTPUT_DIR}/compare_sqlite_and_parquet"
 PULSEMAP = "SRTInIcePulses"