diff --git a/doc/api/cli.md b/doc/api/cli.md
index dda77612f215aa..96348c0639f07b 100644
--- a/doc/api/cli.md
+++ b/doc/api/cli.md
@@ -732,6 +732,8 @@ in the file, the value from the environment takes precedence.
 You can pass multiple `--env-file` arguments. Subsequent files override
 pre-existing variables defined in previous files.
 
+If the file is not found, a warning will be printed.
+
 ```bash
 node --env-file=.env --env-file=.development.env index.js
 ```
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 87488cf0e015fd..37a6056d50c547 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ static ExitCode InitializeNodeWithArgsInternal(
           errors->push_back(file_path + ": invalid format");
           break;
         case Dotenv::ParseResult::FileError:
-          errors->push_back(file_path + ": not found");
+          fprintf(stderr, "Warning: Requested .env file not found\n\n");
           break;
         default:
           UNREACHABLE();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js b/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
index f8cd262c8a8092..236ca6168b897a 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ describe('.env supports edge cases', () => {
       [ '--env-file=.env', '--eval', code ],
       { cwd: __dirname },
     );
-    assert.notStrictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
-    assert.strictEqual(child.code, 9);
+    assert.ok(child.stderr.includes('Requested .env file not found'));
+    assert.strictEqual(child.code, 0);
   });
 
   it('should not override existing environment variables but introduce new vars', async () => {