diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-error-message-improvement.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-error-message-improvement.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a07a255ac23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-error-message-improvement.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - ansible-test - Improve the error message shown when an unknown ``--remote`` or ``--docker`` option is given.
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cli/compat.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cli/compat.py
index 19996faf31f..27267f48ac1 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cli/compat.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/cli/compat.py
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ class PythonVersionUnspecifiedError(ApplicationError):
     """A Python version was not specified for a context which is unknown, thus the Python version is unknown."""
 
     def __init__(self, context: str) -> None:
-        super().__init__(f'A Python version was not specified for environment `{context}`. Use the `--python` option to specify a Python version.')
+        super().__init__(
+            f'Environment `{context}` is unknown. Use a predefined environment instead. '
+            f'Alternatively, to use an unknown environment, use the `--python` option to specify a Python version.'
+        )
 
 
 class ControllerNotSupportedError(ApplicationError):