diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
index c67f012b72..5df66e6173 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
@@ -396,6 +396,8 @@ class CookerDataBuilder(object):
                 if compat and not (compat & layerseries):
                     bb.fatal("Layer %s is not compatible with the core layer which only supports these series: %s (layer is compatible with %s)"
                               % (c, " ".join(layerseries), " ".join(compat)))
+                elif not compat and not data.getVar("BB_WORKERCONTEXT"):
+                    bb.warn("Layer %s should set LAYERSERIES_COMPAT_%s in its conf/layer.conf file to list the core layer names it is compatible with." % (c, c))
 
         if not data.getVar("BBPATH"):
             msg = "The BBPATH variable is not set"