1 files changed, 16 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/src/common/settings.cpp b/src/common/settings.cpp
index 5761e8b321..c1520dacd2 100644
--- a/src/common/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/common/settings.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <common/settings.h>
 
+#include <config/bitcoin-config.h> // IWYU pragma: keep
+
 #include <tinyformat.h>
 #include <univalue.h>
 #include <util/fs.h>
@@ -27,6 +29,9 @@ enum class Source {
    CONFIG_FILE_DEFAULT_SECTION
 };
 
+// Json object key for the auto-generated warning comment
+const std::string SETTINGS_WARN_MSG_KEY{"_warning_"};
+
 //! Merge settings from multiple sources in precedence order:
 //! Forced config > command line > read-write settings file > config file network-specific section > config file default section
 //!
@@ -81,7 +86,9 @@ bool ReadSettings(const fs::path& path, std::map<std::string, SettingsValue>& va
 
     SettingsValue in;
     if (!in.read(std::string{std::istreambuf_iterator<char>(file), std::istreambuf_iterator<char>()})) {
-        errors.emplace_back(strprintf("Unable to parse settings file %s", fs::PathToString(path)));
+        errors.emplace_back(strprintf("Settings file %s does not contain valid JSON. This is probably caused by disk corruption or a crash, "
+                                      "and can be fixed by removing the file, which will reset settings to default values.",
+                                      fs::PathToString(path)));
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -106,6 +113,10 @@ bool ReadSettings(const fs::path& path, std::map<std::string, SettingsValue>& va
             break;
         }
     }
+
+    // Remove auto-generated warning comment from the accessible settings.
+    values.erase(SETTINGS_WARN_MSG_KEY);
+
     return errors.empty();
 }
 
@@ -114,6 +125,10 @@ bool WriteSettings(const fs::path& path,
     std::vector<std::string>& errors)
 {
     SettingsValue out(SettingsValue::VOBJ);
+    // Add auto-generated warning comment
+    out.pushKV(SETTINGS_WARN_MSG_KEY, strprintf("This file is automatically generated and updated by %s. Please do not edit this file while the node "
+                                                "is running, as any changes might be ignored or overwritten.", PACKAGE_NAME));
+    // Push settings values
     for (const auto& value : values) {
         out.pushKVEnd(value.first, value.second);
     }