diff --git a/src/bin_testnet_scenarios/evm_rollup_upgrade.ml b/src/bin_testnet_scenarios/evm_rollup_upgrade.ml
index 5e4e06f317cf14c56c466a0c5d12188357860a32..3f0824b2305037c37591a78940045079d8478b68 100644
--- a/src/bin_testnet_scenarios/evm_rollup_upgrade.ml
+++ b/src/bin_testnet_scenarios/evm_rollup_upgrade.ml
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ let upgrade_kernel ~configuration_path ~testnet () =
         ~tag:"new_kernel"
         ~path:
           (upgrade_config.kernel_dir // (upgrade_config.new_kernel ^ ".wasm"))
+        ()
     in
     replace_preimages ~smart_rollup_node ~new_kernel
   in
diff --git a/tezt/lib_riscv_sandbox/tezt_riscv_sandbox.ml b/tezt/lib_riscv_sandbox/tezt_riscv_sandbox.ml
index 4af629edde9cd8dbf09eb62d37189e60a908aa6d..c3ffbfd0e4f34e7832ccdc34dd7cfa1f072c7ee4 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_riscv_sandbox/tezt_riscv_sandbox.ml
+++ b/tezt/lib_riscv_sandbox/tezt_riscv_sandbox.ml
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@
 (*****************************************************************************)
 
 let riscv_sandbox =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv_sandbox" ~path:"./src/riscv/riscv-sandbox"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv_sandbox" ~path:"./src/riscv/riscv-sandbox" ()
 
 (* Tell Manifezt that [riscv_sandbox] itself depends on the full contents
    of the [src/riscv] directory. Manifezt doesn't know how to automatically
    infer non-OCaml dependency relationships. Also declare a dependency on
    the RISC-V test suite using the same tag to avoid warnings. *)
-let _ = Uses.make ~tag:"riscv_sandbox" ~path:"./src/riscv/"
+let _ = Uses.make ~tag:"riscv_sandbox" ~path:"./src/riscv/" ()
 
 type vm_kind = Pvm | Test
 
diff --git a/tezt/lib_tezos/constant.ml b/tezt/lib_tezos/constant.ml
index c7c94d196e76afc598843ad2ef1d11bce7d35961..1680e93efc2f9370aeb9bd6616e91c548a562048 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_tezos/constant.ml
+++ b/tezt/lib_tezos/constant.ml
@@ -34,58 +34,60 @@ let octez_admin_client = Uses.octez_admin_client
 
 let octez_node = Uses.octez_node
 
-let octez_codec = Uses.make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-codec"
+let octez_codec = Uses.make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-codec" ()
 
-let octez_snoop = Uses.make ~tag:"snoop" ~path:"./octez-snoop"
+let octez_snoop = Uses.make ~tag:"snoop" ~path:"./octez-snoop" ()
 
 let octez_protocol_compiler =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"protocol_compiler" ~path:"./octez-protocol-compiler"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"protocol_compiler" ~path:"./octez-protocol-compiler" ()
 
-let octez_dal_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dal_node" ~path:"./octez-dal-node"
+let octez_dal_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dal_node" ~path:"./octez-dal-node" ()
 
-let octez_dac_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dac_node" ~path:"./octez-dac-node"
+let octez_dac_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dac_node" ~path:"./octez-dac-node" ()
 
-let octez_dac_client = Uses.make ~tag:"dac_client" ~path:"./octez-dac-client"
+let octez_dac_client = Uses.make ~tag:"dac_client" ~path:"./octez-dac-client" ()
 
 let octez_smart_rollup_node =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"smart_rollup_node" ~path:"./octez-smart-rollup-node"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"smart_rollup_node" ~path:"./octez-smart-rollup-node" ()
 
-let octez_evm_node = Uses.make ~tag:"evm_node" ~path:"./octez-evm-node"
+let octez_evm_node = Uses.make ~tag:"evm_node" ~path:"./octez-evm-node" ()
 
-let octez_dsn_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dsn_node" ~path:"./octez-dsn-node"
+let octez_dsn_node = Uses.make ~tag:"dsn_node" ~path:"./octez-dsn-node" ()
 
-let octez_signer = Uses.make ~tag:"signer" ~path:"./octez-signer"
+let octez_signer = Uses.make ~tag:"signer" ~path:"./octez-signer" ()
 
 let octez_injector_server =
   Uses.make
     ~tag:"injector_server"
     ~path:
       "./_build/default/contrib/octez_injector_server/octez_injector_server.exe"
+    ()
 
 let smart_rollup_installer =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"smart_rollup_installer" ~path:"smart-rollup-installer"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"smart_rollup_installer" ~path:"smart-rollup-installer" ()
 
 (* The following is unused because even though the WASM debugger is released,
    there are no tests for it yet, except [tezt/tests/binaries.ml].
    However, this test requires the executables it tests to be declared with
    [Uses.make] so that they are registered in the lookup table of [Uses]. *)
 let _octez_smart_rollup_wasm_debugger =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"wasm_debugger" ~path:"./octez-smart-rollup-wasm-debugger"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"wasm_debugger" ~path:"./octez-smart-rollup-wasm-debugger" ()
 
 let teztale_archiver =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"teztale_archiver" ~path:"./octez-teztale-archiver"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"teztale_archiver" ~path:"./octez-teztale-archiver" ()
 
 let teztale_server =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"teztale_server" ~path:"./octez-teztale-server"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"teztale_server" ~path:"./octez-teztale-server" ()
 
 module WASM = struct
   let dal_echo_kernel =
-    Uses.make ~tag:"dal_echo_kernel" ~path:"dal_echo_kernel.wasm"
+    Uses.make ~tag:"dal_echo_kernel" ~path:"dal_echo_kernel.wasm" ()
 
   let debug_kernel =
     Uses.make
       ~tag:"debug_kernel"
       ~path:"etherlink/kernel_evm/kernel/tests/resources/debug_kernel.wasm"
+      ()
 
   (* Note: this should probably depend on the protocol,
      and thus be in the [Protocol] module? *)
@@ -94,19 +96,27 @@ module WASM = struct
       ~tag:"echo"
       ~path:
         "src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/integration/wasm_kernel/echo.wasm"
+      ()
 
-  let evm_kernel = Uses.make ~tag:"evm_kernel" ~path:"evm_kernel.wasm"
+  let evm_kernel =
+    Uses.make
+      ~how_to_build:"make -f etherlink.mk build"
+      ~tag:"evm_kernel"
+      ~path:"evm_kernel.wasm"
+      ()
 
   let failed_migration =
     Uses.make
       ~tag:"failed_migration"
       ~path:"etherlink/kernel_evm/kernel/tests/resources/failed_migration.wasm"
+      ()
 
   let mainnet_evm_kernel =
     Uses.make
       ~tag:"mainnet_evm_kernel"
       ~path:
         "etherlink/kernel_evm/kernel/tests/resources/mainnet_evm_kernel.wasm"
+      ()
 
   let mainnet_evm_commit = "4f4457e2527cb227a90bb1c56d3a83f39c0f78fd"
 
@@ -115,12 +125,14 @@ module WASM = struct
       ~tag:"ghostnet_evm_kernel"
       ~path:
         "etherlink/kernel_evm/kernel/tests/resources/ghostnet_evm_kernel.wasm"
+      ()
 
   let ghostnet_evm_commit = "af7909023768bc4aad3120bec7bea4a64a576047"
 
-  let tx_kernel = Uses.make ~tag:"tx_kernel" ~path:"tx_kernel.wasm"
+  let tx_kernel = Uses.make ~tag:"tx_kernel" ~path:"tx_kernel.wasm" ()
 
-  let tx_kernel_dal = Uses.make ~tag:"tx_kernel_dal" ~path:"tx_kernel_dal.wasm"
+  let tx_kernel_dal =
+    Uses.make ~tag:"tx_kernel_dal" ~path:"tx_kernel_dal.wasm" ()
 end
 
 (* TODO: tezos/tezos#4803
diff --git a/tezt/lib_tezos/protocol.ml b/tezt/lib_tezos/protocol.ml
index d975f96f49c87b33a793d73881d090350b87d9e5..a6a64adff94c3b22711bd59e777dc48d538055db 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_tezos/protocol.ml
+++ b/tezt/lib_tezos/protocol.ml
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ let protocol_dependent_uses ~tag ~path =
     Uses.make
       ~tag:(tag ^ String.lowercase_ascii protocol)
       ~path:(path ^ protocol)
+      ()
   in
   (* Make sure [Uses.lookup] knows about all executables even before tests
      actually registers themselves. *)
diff --git a/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.ml b/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.ml
index 5c3aa3bcf3252b16b49ababb6c315d9f90f05bde..e8c51efbbda8cf76260bfc52b812f6953eab80c7 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.ml
+++ b/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.ml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ let error_mode_for_useless_use = ref Warn
 let error_mode_for_non_existing_use = ref Fail
 
 module Uses = struct
-  type t = {tag : string; path : string}
+  type t = {tag : string; path : string; how_to_build : string option}
 
   (* Filled by [make] and read by [lookup]. *)
   let known_paths : t String_map.t ref = ref String_map.empty
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ module Uses = struct
         (function None -> Some uses | Some _ as x -> x)
         !known_paths
 
-  let make ~tag ~path =
-    let uses = {tag; path} in
+  let make ?how_to_build ~tag ~path () =
+    let uses = {tag; path; how_to_build} in
     add_to_known_paths path uses ;
     uses
 
@@ -50,13 +50,14 @@ module Uses = struct
 
   let lookup path = String_map.find_opt (canonicalize_path path) !known_paths
 
-  let octez_node = make ~tag:"node" ~path:"./octez-node"
+  let octez_node = make ~tag:"node" ~path:"./octez-node" ()
 
-  let octez_client = make ~tag:"client" ~path:"./octez-client"
+  let octez_client = make ~tag:"client" ~path:"./octez-client" ()
 
-  let octez_admin_client = make ~tag:"admin_client" ~path:"./octez-admin-client"
+  let octez_admin_client =
+    make ~tag:"admin_client" ~path:"./octez-admin-client" ()
 
-  let octez_baker_alpha = make ~tag:"baker_alpha" ~path:"./octez-baker-alpha"
+  let octez_baker_alpha = make ~tag:"baker_alpha" ~path:"./octez-baker-alpha" ()
 
   let register_meta_test () =
     Regression.register
@@ -106,15 +107,24 @@ let wrap ~file ~title ~tags ?(uses = []) ?(uses_node = true)
     (match uses_that_do_not_exist with
     | [] -> ()
     | _ :: _ ->
-        let paths =
-          Fun.flip List.map uses_that_do_not_exist @@ fun uses -> uses.path
+        let error_details =
+          List.map
+            (fun Uses.{path; how_to_build; _} ->
+              sf
+                "'%s' which does not exist%s"
+                path
+                (match how_to_build with
+                | None -> ""
+                | Some how_to_build -> sf " (try '%s')" how_to_build))
+            uses_that_do_not_exist
+          |> String.concat ", "
         in
         error
           !error_mode_for_non_existing_use
-          "In %S, test %S requires %s which do(es) not exist."
+          "In %S, test %S requires %s."
           file
           title
-          (String.concat ", " (List.map (sf "'%s'") paths))) ;
+          error_details) ;
     (* Set hook so that tests can only call [Uses.path] on allowed paths. *)
     (Uses.path_handler :=
        fun uses ->
diff --git a/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.mli b/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.mli
index c03e311d1ec4de69cecb0241e293c9fcb4802af1..e457f93ea439bb35107100e019c185e378614e0d 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.mli
+++ b/tezt/lib_wrapper/tezt_wrapper.mli
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module Uses : sig
 
       For instance, you can define:
       {[
-        let data = Uses.make ~tag:"data" ~path:"data/file.dat"
+        let data = Uses.make ~tag:"data" ~path:"data/file.dat" ()
       ]}
       You would then:
       - declare your test with [~uses:[data]];
@@ -40,8 +40,19 @@ module Uses : sig
   (** Make a test dependency.
 
       Multiple paths can be associated with the same tag,
-      and the same paths can be associated with different tags. *)
-  val make : tag:string -> path:string -> t
+      and the same paths can be associated with different tags.
+
+      [how_to_build], if set, is printed to the user should the
+      dependency be missing, and should contain instructions on how to
+      build the dependency. Example:
+      {[
+        Uses.make
+          ~how_to_build:"make -f etherlink.ml build"
+          ~tag:"evm_kernel"
+          ~path:"evm_kernel.wasm"
+          ()
+      ]} *)
+  val make : ?how_to_build:string -> tag:string -> path:string -> unit -> t
 
   (** Get the path of a test dependency. *)
   val path : t -> string
diff --git a/tezt/tests/cloud/dal.ml b/tezt/tests/cloud/dal.ml
index 2c706603ba9b8f3d18df0ecadebaf160de4b2f47..cf9978ca46da1ff07d4105f63740962b371ed6c5 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/cloud/dal.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/cloud/dal.ml
@@ -261,8 +261,9 @@ module Teztale = struct
       {login; password = login}
 
   let run_server
-      ?(path = Uses.(path (make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-teztale-server")))
-      agent =
+      ?(path =
+        Uses.(path (make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-teztale-server" ()))) agent
+      =
     let* server = Teztale.Server.run ~path agent () in
     let address =
       match Agent.point agent with
@@ -274,8 +275,9 @@ module Teztale = struct
   let wait_server t = Teztale.Server.wait_for_readiness t.server
 
   let add_archiver
-      ?(path = Uses.(path (make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-teztale-archiver")))
-      t agent ~node_port =
+      ?(path =
+        Uses.(path (make ~tag:"codec" ~path:"./octez-teztale-archiver" ()))) t
+      agent ~node_port =
     let user = fresh_user () in
     let feed : Teztale.interface list =
       [{address = t.address; port = t.server.conf.interface.port}]
diff --git a/tezt/tests/riscv_sandbox.ml b/tezt/tests/riscv_sandbox.ml
index 19935837902e518a1102b8441d29022f2ac027a6..d48eb7821ee1aa19ed427601e8da1e50c1bb5284 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/riscv_sandbox.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/riscv_sandbox.ml
@@ -32,15 +32,18 @@
 *)
 
 let hermit_loader =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/hermit-loader"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/hermit-loader" ()
 
-let dummy_kernel = Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/riscv-dummy.elf"
+let dummy_kernel = Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/riscv-dummy.elf" ()
 
 let dummy_kernel_inbox =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"tezt/tests/riscv-tests/dummy-kernel-inbox.json"
+  Uses.make
+    ~tag:"riscv"
+    ~path:"tezt/tests/riscv-tests/dummy-kernel-inbox.json"
+    ()
 
 let dummy_kernel_frozen =
-  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf"
+  Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf" ()
 
 let test_dummy_kernel () =
   Tezt_riscv_sandbox.run_pvm
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ let inline_asm_tests =
   Uses.make
     ~tag:"riscv"
     ~path:"src/riscv/tests/inline_asm/rv64-inline-asm-tests"
+    ()
 
 let test_inline_asm () = Tezt_riscv_sandbox.run_test ~input:inline_asm_tests ()
 
diff --git a/tezt/tests/sc_rollup.ml b/tezt/tests/sc_rollup.ml
index 4958c08852fa096a98e37f158fbec36ed857c7e1..e1666322345afb3120404f741f8b68dd4cf25629 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/sc_rollup.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/sc_rollup.ml
@@ -6127,8 +6127,11 @@ let register_riscv ~protocols =
   let kind = "riscv" in
   let boot_sector =
     read_riscv_kernel
-      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf")
-      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf.checksum")
+      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf" ())
+      (Uses.make
+         ~tag:"riscv"
+         ~path:"src/riscv/assets/riscv-dummy.elf.checksum"
+         ())
   in
   test_origination ~kind protocols ;
   test_rpcs ~kind ~boot_sector protocols ~kernel_debug_log:true ;
@@ -6144,8 +6147,8 @@ let register_riscv_jstz ~protocols =
   let kind = "riscv" in
   let boot_sector =
     read_riscv_kernel
-      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/jstz")
-      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/jstz.checksum")
+      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/jstz" ())
+      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"src/riscv/assets/jstz.checksum" ())
   in
   test_advances_state_with_inbox
     protocols
@@ -6153,7 +6156,7 @@ let register_riscv_jstz ~protocols =
     ~title:"node advances PVM state with jstz kernel"
     ~boot_sector
     ~inbox_file:
-      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"tezt/tests/riscv-tests/jstz-inbox.json")
+      (Uses.make ~tag:"riscv" ~path:"tezt/tests/riscv-tests/jstz-inbox.json" ())
 
 let register ~kind ~protocols =
   test_origination ~kind protocols ;