diff --git a/modules/cli/src/integrationTest/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/commands/ItNotInitializedClusterReplTest.java b/modules/cli/src/integrationTest/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/commands/ItNotInitializedClusterReplTest.java
index b5fa6d0b5122..f32d784bf8d3 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/integrationTest/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/commands/ItNotInitializedClusterReplTest.java
+++ b/modules/cli/src/integrationTest/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/commands/ItNotInitializedClusterReplTest.java
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ void connect() {
         assertAll(
                 this::assertErrOutputIsEmpty,
                 () -> assertOutputContains("Connected to http://localhost:10300" + System.lineSeparator()
-                + "The cluster is not initialized. Run cluster init command to initialize it.")
+                + "The cluster is not initialized or the node has not finished starting yet."
+                + " If this is a new cluster, run cluster init command to initialize it."
+                + " If the node was recently restarted, please try again shortly.")
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/call/connect/ConnectSuccessCall.java b/modules/cli/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/call/connect/ConnectSuccessCall.java
index 97f12b925b20..0f07e3814c4b 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/call/connect/ConnectSuccessCall.java
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/cli/call/connect/ConnectSuccessCall.java
@@ -80,8 +80,13 @@ private void checkClusterInit(SessionInfo sessionInfo, MessageComponentBuilder b
         try {
             new ClusterManagementApi(clientFactory.getClient(sessionInfo.nodeUrl())).clusterState();
         } catch (ApiException e) {
-            if (e.getCode() == 409) { // CONFLICT means the cluster is not initialized yet
-                builder.hint("The cluster is not initialized. Run %s command to initialize it.", UiElements.command("cluster init"));
+            if (e.getCode() == 409) { // CONFLICT means the cluster is not initialized yet or the node is still starting
+                builder.hint(
+                        "The cluster is not initialized or the node has not finished starting yet."
+                        + " If this is a new cluster, run %s command to initialize it."
+                        + " If the node was recently restarted, please try again shortly.",
+                        UiElements.command("cluster init")
+                );
             }
         }
     }