diff --git a/solr/CHANGES.txt b/solr/CHANGES.txt
index 8ca140b8f02..f84044e765e 100644
--- a/solr/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/solr/CHANGES.txt
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ Bug Fixes
 * SOLR-3633 - web UI reports an error if CoreAdminHandler says there are no 
   SolrCores (steffkes)
 
+Optimizations
+----------------------
+
+* SOLR-5044: Admin UI - Note on Core-Admin about directories while creating 
+  core (seffkes)
+
 Other Changes
 ----------------------
 
diff --git a/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css b/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
index f1f921719fb..6a305883fb7 100644
--- a/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
+++ b/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
@@ -71,9 +71,19 @@ limitations under the License.
   display: none;
 }
 
+#content #cores .actions form .directory-note
+{
+  background-image: url( ../../img/ico/information-white.png );
+  background-position: 22% 1px;
+  color: #c0c0c0;
+}
+
 #content #cores .actions form .error
 {
-  color: #800;
+  background-image: url( ../../img/ico/cross-button.png );
+  background-position: 22% 1px;
+  color: #c00;
+  font-weight: bold;
   display: none;
 }
 
@@ -94,10 +104,16 @@ limitations under the License.
 #content #cores .actions form input,
 #content #cores .actions form select,
 #content #cores .actions form .buttons,
-#content #cores .actions form .error span
+#content #cores .actions form .note span
 {
   float: right;
-  width: 73%;
+  width: 71%;
+}
+
+#content #cores .actions form .note span
+{
+  padding-left: 3px;
+  padding-right: 3px;
 }
 
 #content #cores .actions form .buttons
diff --git a/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html b/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
index a817c6e07de..98a6a1247aa 100644
--- a/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
+++ b/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
@@ -60,7 +60,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 
           </div>
 
-          <p class="clearfix error">
+          <p class="clearfix note directory-note">
+
+            <span><code>instanceDir</code> and <code>dataDir</code> need to exist before you can create the core</span>
+
+          </p>
+
+          <p class="clearfix note error">
 
             <span></span>