diff --git a/presubmit_canned_checks.py b/presubmit_canned_checks.py
index 271753611e..b033f6257b 100644
--- a/presubmit_canned_checks.py
+++ b/presubmit_canned_checks.py
@@ -752,19 +752,19 @@ def CheckOwners(input_api, output_api, source_file_filter=None):
       approval_needed=input_api.is_committing)
 
   if owner_email:
+    message = ''
     reviewers_plus_owner = reviewers.union(set([owner_email]))
-  elif input_api.is_committing:
-    return [output_api.PresubmitWarning(
-        'The issue was not uploaded so you have no OWNER approval.')]
   else:
+    message = ('\nUntil the issue is uploaded, this list will include '
+               'directories for which you \nare an OWNER.')
     owner_email = ''
     reviewers_plus_owner = set()
 
   missing_directories = owners_db.directories_not_covered_by(affected_files,
       reviewers_plus_owner)
   if missing_directories:
-    return [output('Missing %s for files in these directories:\n    %s' %
-                   (needed, '\n    '.join(missing_directories)))]
+    return [output('Missing %s for files in these directories:\n    %s%s' %
+                   (needed, '\n    '.join(missing_directories), message))]
 
   if input_api.is_committing and not reviewers:
     return [output('Missing LGTM from someone other than %s' % owner_email)]
diff --git a/tests/presubmit_unittest.py b/tests/presubmit_unittest.py
index 6c85ac95f4..6559d572d5 100755
--- a/tests/presubmit_unittest.py
+++ b/tests/presubmit_unittest.py
@@ -2250,14 +2250,28 @@ class CannedChecksUnittest(PresubmitTestsBase):
         rietveld_response=response,
         expected_output='')
 
-  def testCannedCheckOwners_NoIssue(self):
+  def testCannedCheckOwners_NoIssueNoFiles(self):
     self.AssertOwnersWorks(issue=None,
         expected_output="OWNERS check failed: this change has no Rietveld "
                         "issue number, so we can't check it for approvals.\n")
-
     self.AssertOwnersWorks(issue=None, is_committing=False,
         expected_output="")
 
+  def testCannedCheckOwners_NoIssue(self):
+    self.AssertOwnersWorks(issue=None,
+        uncovered_dirs=set(['foo']),
+        expected_output="OWNERS check failed: this change has no Rietveld "
+                        "issue number, so we can't check it for approvals.\n")
+    self.AssertOwnersWorks(issue=None,
+        is_committing=False,
+        uncovered_dirs=set(['foo']),
+        expected_output='Missing OWNER reviewers for files in these '
+                        'directories:\n'
+                        '    foo\n'
+                        'Until the issue is uploaded, this list will include '
+                        'directories for which you \n'
+                        'are an OWNER.\n')
+
   def testCannedCheckOwners_NoLGTM(self):
     self.AssertOwnersWorks(expected_output='Missing LGTM from someone '
                                            'other than john@example.com\n')