diff --git a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
index ed2b33a89b4..8c6321e2b67 100644
--- a/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
+++ b/tools/src/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
@@ -504,6 +504,11 @@ print_info(diff_opt_t *opts)
                 printf("Use -c for a list of objects.\n");
         }
     }
+
+    if (opts->contents == 0 && !opts->mode_verbose) {
+        printf("Files do not have the same set of objects.\n");
+        printf("Use -v for a list of objects.\n");
+    }
 }
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_11.txt b/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_11.txt
index e2e33fbe507..444db110a09 100644
--- a/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_11.txt
+++ b/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_11.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 dataset: </g1/dset1> and </g1/dset1>
 5 differences found
+Files do not have the same set of objects.
+Use -v for a list of objects.
diff --git a/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_13.txt b/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_13.txt
index 36676e9eac0..773022e8afe 100644
--- a/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_13.txt
+++ b/tools/test/h5diff/expected/h5diff_13.txt
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@ position        dset1           dset1           difference
 [ 1 1 ]          1               1.001           0.001          
 [ 2 1 ]          0               1               1              
 5 differences found
+Files do not have the same set of objects.
+Use -v for a list of objects.