diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/meta/cve-update-nvd2-native.bb b/meta/recipes-core/meta/cve-update-nvd2-native.bb
index c05c47d42e..441559471f 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/meta/cve-update-nvd2-native.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/meta/cve-update-nvd2-native.bb
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ python do_fetch() {
         update_interval = int(d.getVar("CVE_DB_UPDATE_INTERVAL"))
         if update_interval < 0:
             bb.note("CVE database update skipped")
+            if not os.path.exists(db_file):
+                bb.error("CVE database %s not present, database fetch/update skipped" % db_file)
             return
         if time.time() - os.path.getmtime(db_file) < update_interval:
             bb.note("CVE database recently updated, skipping")
@@ -77,6 +79,9 @@ python do_fetch() {
     except OSError:
         pass
 
+    if bb.utils.to_boolean(d.getVar("BB_NO_NETWORK")):
+        bb.error("BB_NO_NETWORK attempted to disable fetch, this recipe uses CVE_DB_UPDATE_INTERVAL to control download, set to '-1' to disable fetch or update")
+
     bb.utils.mkdirhier(db_dir)
     bb.utils.mkdirhier(os.path.dirname(db_tmp_file))
     if os.path.exists(db_file):