diff --git a/scripts/sql/manage_storage.php b/scripts/sql/manage_storage.php
--- a/scripts/sql/manage_storage.php
+++ b/scripts/sql/manage_storage.php
@@ -70,6 +70,46 @@
   exit(77);
 }
 
+// First, test that the Phabricator configuration is set up correctly. After
+// we know this works we'll test any administrative credentials specifically.
+
+$test_api = new PhabricatorStorageManagementAPI();
+$test_api->setUser($default_user);
+$test_api->setHost($default_host);
+$test_api->setPort($default_port);
+$test_api->setPassword($conf->getPassword());
+$test_api->setNamespace($args->getArg('namespace'));
+
+try {
+  queryfx(
+    $test_api->getConn(null),
+    'SELECT 1');
+} catch (AphrontQueryException $ex) {
+  $message = phutil_console_format(
+    pht(
+      "**MySQL Credentials Not Configured**\n\n".
+      "Unable to connect to MySQL using the configured credentials. ".
+      "You must configure standard credentials before you can upgrade ".
+      "storage. Run these commands to set up credentials:\n".
+      "\n".
+      "  phabricator/ $ ./bin/config set mysql.host __host__\n".
+      "  phabricator/ $ ./bin/config set mysql.user __username__\n".
+      "  phabricator/ $ ./bin/config set mysql.pass __password__\n".
+      "\n".
+      "These standard credentials are separate from any administrative ".
+      "credentials provided to this command with __--user__ or ".
+      "__--password__, and must be configured correctly before you can ".
+      "proceed.\n".
+      "\n".
+      "**Raw MySQL Error**: %s\n",
+      $ex->getMessage()));
+
+  echo phutil_console_wrap($message);
+
+  exit(1);
+}
+
+
 if ($args->getArg('password') === null) {
   // This is already a PhutilOpaqueEnvelope.
   $password = $conf->getPassword();
@@ -92,10 +132,18 @@
     $api->getConn(null),
     'SELECT 1');
 } catch (AphrontQueryException $ex) {
-  echo phutil_console_format(
-    "**%s**: %s\n",
-    'Unable To Connect',
-    $ex->getMessage());
+  $message = phutil_console_format(
+    pht(
+      "**Bad Administrative Credentials**\n\n".
+      "Unable to connnect to MySQL using the administrative credentials ".
+      "provided with the __--user__ and __--password__ flags. Check that ".
+      "you have entered them correctly.\n".
+      "\n".
+      "**Raw MySQL Error**: %s\n",
+      $ex->getMessage()));
+
+  echo phutil_console_wrap($message);
+
   exit(1);
 }