diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index eeafa2d1e..b13f496a3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 
 ### Improvements
 
+* [\#11449](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11449) Improved error messages when node isn't synced.
 * [\#11349](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11349) Add `RegisterAminoMsg` function that checks that a msg name is <40 chars (else this would break ledger nano signing) then registers the concrete msg type with amino, it should be used for registering `sdk.Msg`s with amino instead of `cdc.RegisterConcrete`.
 * [\#11089](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11089]) Now cosmos-sdk consumers can upgrade gRPC to its newest versions.
 * [\#10439](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/10439) Check error for `RegisterQueryHandlerClient` in all modules `RegisterGRPCGatewayRoutes`.
diff --git a/x/auth/client/cli/query.go b/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
index 08b4a3d1e..41fd652dc 100644
--- a/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
+++ b/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
@@ -100,6 +100,18 @@ func GetAccountCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			queryClient := types.NewQueryClient(clientCtx)
 			res, err := queryClient.Account(cmd.Context(), &types.QueryAccountRequest{Address: key.String()})
 			if err != nil {
+				node, err2 := clientCtx.GetNode()
+				if err2 != nil {
+					return err2
+				}
+				status, err2 := node.Status(context.Background())
+				if err2 != nil {
+					return err2
+				}
+				catchingUp := status.SyncInfo.CatchingUp
+				if !catchingUp {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "your node may be syncing, please check node status using `/status`")
+				}
 				return err
 			}