diff --git a/src/Command/CommandHelper.php b/src/Command/CommandHelper.php
index 499ebb48e8..a142ecdca8 100644
--- a/src/Command/CommandHelper.php
+++ b/src/Command/CommandHelper.php
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 use PHPStan\File\FileExcluder;
 use PHPStan\File\FileFinder;
 use PHPStan\File\FileHelper;
+use PHPStan\File\ParentDirectoryRelativePathHelper;
 use PHPStan\File\SimpleRelativePathHelper;
 use PHPStan\Internal\ComposerHelper;
 use PHPStan\Internal\DirectoryCreator;
@@ -379,9 +380,30 @@ public static function begin(
 				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('');
 			}
 
-			$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('If the excluded path can sometimes exist, append <fg=cyan>(?)</>');
-			$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('to its config entry to mark it as optional.');
-			$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('');
+			$suggestOptional = $e->getSuggestOptional();
+			if (count($suggestOptional) > 0) {
+				$baselinePathHelper = null;
+				if ($projectConfigFile !== null) {
+					$baselinePathHelper = new ParentDirectoryRelativePathHelper(dirname($projectConfigFile));
+				}
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('If the excluded path can sometimes exist, append <fg=cyan>(?)</>');
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('to its config entry to mark it as optional. Example:');
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('');
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('<fg=cyan>parameters:</>');
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted("\t<fg=cyan>excludePaths:</>");
+				foreach ($suggestOptional as $key => $suggestOptionalPaths) {
+					$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted(sprintf("\t\t<fg=cyan>%s:</>", $key));
+					foreach ($suggestOptionalPaths as $suggestOptionalPath) {
+						if ($baselinePathHelper === null) {
+							$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted(sprintf("\t\t\t- <fg=cyan>%s (?)</>", $suggestOptionalPath));
+							continue;
+						}
+
+						$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted(sprintf("\t\t\t- <fg=cyan>%s (?)</>", $baselinePathHelper->getRelativePath($suggestOptionalPath)));
+					}
+				}
+				$errorOutput->writeLineFormatted('');
+			}
 
 			throw new InceptionNotSuccessfulException();
 		} catch (ValidationException $e) {
diff --git a/src/DependencyInjection/InvalidExcludePathsException.php b/src/DependencyInjection/InvalidExcludePathsException.php
index 24ecfb9565..b2ae030782 100644
--- a/src/DependencyInjection/InvalidExcludePathsException.php
+++ b/src/DependencyInjection/InvalidExcludePathsException.php
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ final class InvalidExcludePathsException extends Exception
 
 	/**
 	 * @param string[] $errors
+	 * @param array{analyse?: list<string>, analyseAndScan?: list<string>} $suggestOptional
 	 */
-	public function __construct(private array $errors)
+	public function __construct(private array $errors, private array $suggestOptional)
 	{
 		parent::__construct(implode("\n", $this->errors));
 	}
@@ -24,4 +25,12 @@ public function getErrors(): array
 		return $this->errors;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @return array{analyse?: list<string>, analyseAndScan?: list<string>}
+	 */
+	public function getSuggestOptional(): array
+	{
+		return $this->suggestOptional;
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateExcludePathsExtension.php b/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateExcludePathsExtension.php
index 6d099d1c10..dcb8fa8982 100644
--- a/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateExcludePathsExtension.php
+++ b/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateExcludePathsExtension.php
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 use PHPStan\File\FileExcluder;
 use function array_key_exists;
 use function array_map;
-use function array_merge;
 use function count;
 use function is_dir;
 use function is_file;
@@ -27,41 +26,42 @@ public function loadConfiguration(): void
 			return;
 		}
 
+		$newExcludePaths = [];
+		if (array_key_exists('analyseAndScan', $excludePaths)) {
+			$newExcludePaths['analyseAndScan'] = $excludePaths['analyseAndScan'];
+		}
+		if (array_key_exists('analyse', $excludePaths)) {
+			$newExcludePaths['analyse'] = $excludePaths['analyse'];
+		}
+
 		$errors = [];
+		$suggestOptional = [];
 		if ($builder->parameters['__validate']) {
-			$paths = [];
-			if (array_key_exists('analyse', $excludePaths)) {
-				$paths = $excludePaths['analyse'];
-			}
-			if (array_key_exists('analyseAndScan', $excludePaths)) {
-				$paths = array_merge($paths, $excludePaths['analyseAndScan']);
-			}
-			foreach ($paths as $path) {
-				if ($path instanceof OptionalPath) {
-					continue;
-				}
-				if (FileExcluder::isAbsolutePath($path)) {
-					if (is_dir($path)) {
+			foreach ($newExcludePaths as $key => $paths) {
+				foreach ($paths as $path) {
+					if ($path instanceof OptionalPath) {
 						continue;
 					}
-					if (is_file($path)) {
+					if (FileExcluder::isAbsolutePath($path)) {
+						if (is_dir($path)) {
+							continue;
+						}
+						if (is_file($path)) {
+							continue;
+						}
+					}
+					if (FileExcluder::isFnmatchPattern($path)) {
 						continue;
 					}
-				}
-				if (FileExcluder::isFnmatchPattern($path)) {
-					continue;
-				}
 
-				$errors[] = sprintf('Path %s is neither a directory, nor a file path, nor a fnmatch pattern.', $path);
+					$suggestOptional[$key][] = $path;
+					$errors[] = sprintf('Path "%s" is neither a directory, nor a file path, nor a fnmatch pattern.', $path);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
-		$newExcludePaths = [];
-		if (array_key_exists('analyseAndScan', $excludePaths)) {
-			$newExcludePaths['analyseAndScan'] = $excludePaths['analyseAndScan'];
-		}
-		if (array_key_exists('analyse', $excludePaths)) {
-			$newExcludePaths['analyse'] = $excludePaths['analyse'];
+		if (count($errors) !== 0) {
+			throw new InvalidExcludePathsException($errors, $suggestOptional);
 		}
 
 		foreach ($newExcludePaths as $key => $p) {
@@ -72,12 +72,6 @@ public function loadConfiguration(): void
 		}
 
 		$builder->parameters['excludePaths'] = $newExcludePaths;
-
-		if (count($errors) === 0) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		throw new InvalidExcludePathsException($errors);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateIgnoredErrorsExtension.php b/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateIgnoredErrorsExtension.php
index 4560fde44c..68a41d3e9f 100644
--- a/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateIgnoredErrorsExtension.php
+++ b/src/DependencyInjection/ValidateIgnoredErrorsExtension.php
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public function getRegistry(): OperatorTypeSpecifyingExtensionRegistry
 						continue;
 					}
 
-					$errors[] = sprintf('Path %s is neither a directory, nor a file path, nor a fnmatch pattern.', $ignorePath);
+					$errors[] = sprintf('Path "%s" is neither a directory, nor a file path, nor a fnmatch pattern.', $ignorePath);
 				}
 			}
 		}