diff --git a/crytic_compile/utils/naming.py b/crytic_compile/utils/naming.py
index e4711f44..efb26013 100644
--- a/crytic_compile/utils/naming.py
+++ b/crytic_compile/utils/naming.py
@@ -118,11 +118,65 @@ def _verify_filename_existence(filename: Path, cwd: Path) -> Path:
                 break
 
     if not filename.exists():
-        raise InvalidCompilation(f"Unknown file: {filename}")
+        raise InvalidCompilation(_unknown_file_message(filename, cwd))
 
     return filename
 
 
+def _unknown_file_message(filename: Path, cwd: Path) -> str:
+    """Build an actionable error message for a path that could not be resolved.
+
+    Includes hints to verify the path exists and, when the import resembles an
+    npm/yarn dependency (e.g. ``@openzeppelin/...``), to install project
+    dependencies.
+
+    Args:
+        filename (Path): the unresolved filename
+        cwd (Path): the working directory used during resolution
+
+    Returns:
+        str: a multi-line error message
+    """
+    lines = [
+        f"Unknown file: {filename}",
+        f"  - Verify the path exists (e.g. `ls {filename}`).",
+    ]
+    if _looks_like_npm_import(filename):
+        lines.append(
+            f"  - If this is an npm/yarn dependency, install project "
+            f"dependencies first (e.g. `npm install` or `yarn install` in `{cwd}`)."
+        )
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def _looks_like_npm_import(filename: Path) -> bool:
+    """Heuristic: is ``filename`` likely an npm/yarn dependency import?
+
+    Treats scoped (``@org/pkg/...``) and bare-name (``pkg/...``) paths with
+    multiple segments as package imports. Excludes absolute paths, paths that
+    start with ``.`` or ``..``, and the common Solidity project source roots
+    (``contracts``, ``src``, ``lib``, ``test``, ``script``).
+
+    Args:
+        filename (Path): filename to classify
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: True if the path resembles a package import
+    """
+    if filename.is_absolute():
+        return False
+    parts = filename.parts
+    if len(parts) < 2:
+        return False
+    first = parts[0]
+    if first.startswith("."):
+        return False
+    if first in {"contracts", "src", "lib", "test", "tests", "script"}:
+        return False
+    # @scope/package or bare package name (no extension/dot in first segment)
+    return first.startswith("@") or "." not in first
+
+
 def convert_filename(
     used_filename: str | Path,
     relative_to_short: Callable[[Path], Path],
diff --git a/tests/test_naming.py b/tests/test_naming.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2be94b1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_naming.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+"""Tests for filename resolution error messages."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from crytic_compile.platform.exceptions import InvalidCompilation
+from crytic_compile.utils.naming import (
+    _looks_like_npm_import,
+    _unknown_file_message,
+    _verify_filename_existence,
+)
+
+
+def test_unknown_file_error_includes_path_and_ls_hint(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Error includes the requested filename and an `ls` hint."""
+    missing = Path("nonexistent/Foo.sol")
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidCompilation) as excinfo:
+        _verify_filename_existence(missing, tmp_path)
+    msg = str(excinfo.value)
+    assert "Unknown file" in msg
+    assert str(missing) in msg
+    assert "ls " in msg
+
+
+def test_unknown_file_error_npm_scoped_hint(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Scoped package imports surface the npm/yarn install hint."""
+    missing = Path("@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20/ERC20.sol")
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidCompilation) as excinfo:
+        _verify_filename_existence(missing, tmp_path)
+    msg = str(excinfo.value)
+    assert "npm install" in msg
+    assert "yarn install" in msg
+    assert str(tmp_path) in msg
+
+
+def test_unknown_file_error_bare_package_hint(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Bare-name imports (e.g. `solmate/...`) surface the install hint."""
+    missing = Path("solmate/src/tokens/ERC20.sol")
+    msg = _unknown_file_message(missing, tmp_path)
+    assert "npm install" in msg
+
+
+def test_unknown_file_error_project_dir_no_hint(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Local project source paths (`contracts/...`) do not surface npm hint."""
+    msg = _unknown_file_message(Path("contracts/Foo.sol"), tmp_path)
+    assert "npm install" not in msg
+    assert "Unknown file" in msg
+
+
+def test_unknown_file_error_relative_no_hint(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Explicit relative paths (`./Foo.sol`) do not surface npm hint."""
+    msg = _unknown_file_message(Path("./Foo.sol"), tmp_path)
+    assert "npm install" not in msg
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("path", "expected"),
+    [
+        ("@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20.sol", True),
+        ("solmate/src/tokens/ERC20.sol", True),
+        ("contracts/Foo.sol", False),
+        ("src/Foo.sol", False),
+        ("lib/forge-std/src/Test.sol", False),
+        ("./Foo.sol", False),
+        ("../Foo.sol", False),
+        ("Foo.sol", False),
+        ("/abs/path/Foo.sol", False),
+    ],
+)
+def test_looks_like_npm_import(path: str, expected: bool) -> None:
+    """Classifier covers scoped/bare/project/relative/absolute cases."""
+    assert _looks_like_npm_import(Path(path)) is expected