diff --git a/src/cargo/core/registry.rs b/src/cargo/core/registry.rs
index 724035bf1ef..63d2c64f32c 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/registry.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/registry.rs
@@ -312,8 +312,8 @@ impl<'gctx> PackageRegistry<'gctx> {
 
                 if dep.features().len() != 0 || !dep.uses_default_features() {
                     self.source_config.gctx().shell().warn(format!(
-                        "patch for `{}` uses the features mechanism. \
-                        default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency does not support this mechanism",
+                        "patch for `{}` attempts to declare features. \
+                        The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `patch` entry.",
                         dep.package_name()
                     ))?;
                 }
diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/resolve.rs b/src/cargo/ops/resolve.rs
index 875edcb7e6b..767e5653280 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/resolve.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/resolve.rs
@@ -165,8 +165,8 @@ pub fn resolve_ws_with_opts<'gctx>(
                 ws.gctx()
                 .shell()
                 .warn(format!(
-                    "replacement for `{}` uses the features mechanism. \
-                    default-features and features will not take effect because the replacement dependency does not support this mechanism",
+                    "replacement for `{}` attempts to declare features. \
+                    The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `replace` entry.",
                     dep.package_name()
                 ))?
             }
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/patch.rs b/tests/testsuite/patch.rs
index e4b0d6ff0f4..7d27648a0bf 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/patch.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/patch.rs
@@ -883,8 +883,8 @@ fn add_patch_with_features() {
     p.cargo("check")
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[WARNING] patch for `bar` uses the features mechanism. \
-default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] patch for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `patch` entry.
 [UPDATING] `dummy-registry` index
 [CHECKING] bar v0.1.0 ([CWD]/bar)
 [CHECKING] foo v0.0.1 ([CWD])
@@ -895,8 +895,8 @@ default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency
     p.cargo("check")
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[WARNING] patch for `bar` uses the features mechanism. \
-default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] patch for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `patch` entry.
 [FINISHED] [..]
 ",
         )
@@ -932,8 +932,8 @@ fn add_patch_with_setting_default_features() {
     p.cargo("check")
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[WARNING] patch for `bar` uses the features mechanism. \
-default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] patch for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `patch` entry.
 [UPDATING] `dummy-registry` index
 [CHECKING] bar v0.1.0 ([CWD]/bar)
 [CHECKING] foo v0.0.1 ([CWD])
@@ -944,8 +944,8 @@ default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency
     p.cargo("check")
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[WARNING] patch for `bar` uses the features mechanism. \
-default-features and features will not take effect because the patch dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] patch for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `patch` entry.
 [FINISHED] [..]
 ",
         )
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/replace.rs b/tests/testsuite/replace.rs
index 71b691de345..16970d71ff1 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/replace.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/replace.rs
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ fn override_with_features() {
             "\
 [UPDATING] [..] index
 [UPDATING] git repository `[..]`
-[WARNING] replacement for `bar` uses the features mechanism. default-features and features \
-will not take effect because the replacement dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] replacement for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `replace` entry.
 [CHECKING] bar v0.1.0 (file://[..])
 [CHECKING] foo v0.0.1 ([CWD])
 [FINISHED] `dev` profile [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ fn override_with_setting_default_features() {
             "\
 [UPDATING] [..] index
 [UPDATING] git repository `[..]`
-[WARNING] replacement for `bar` uses the features mechanism. default-features and features \
-will not take effect because the replacement dependency does not support this mechanism
+[WARNING] replacement for `bar` attempts to declare features. \
+The `features` and `default-features` keys need to appear in a `dependencies` entry, not the `replace` entry.
 [CHECKING] bar v0.1.0 (file://[..])
 [CHECKING] foo v0.0.1 ([CWD])
 [FINISHED] `dev` profile [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]