diff --git a/examples/cryptosha256.c b/examples/cryptosha256.c
index be2767a..029659b 100644
--- a/examples/cryptosha256.c
+++ b/examples/cryptosha256.c
@@ -26,8 +26,12 @@ static int cryptosha256_init(void)
     struct shash_desc *shash;
 
     sha256 = crypto_alloc_shash("sha256", 0, 0);
-    if (IS_ERR(sha256))
+    if (IS_ERR(sha256)) {
+        pr_err(
+            "%s(): Failed to allocate sha256 algorithm, enable CONFIG_CRYPTO_SHA256 and try again.\n",
+            __func__);
         return -1;
+    }
 
     shash = kmalloc(sizeof(struct shash_desc) + crypto_shash_descsize(sha256),
                     GFP_KERNEL);
diff --git a/lkmpg.tex b/lkmpg.tex
index 238921b..07390f3 100644
--- a/lkmpg.tex
+++ b/lkmpg.tex
@@ -1891,6 +1891,7 @@ To handle crypto stuff, the kernel has its own API enabling common methods of en
 
 Calculating and checking the hashes of things is a common operation.
 Here is a demonstration of how to calculate a sha256 hash within a kernel module.
+To provide the sha256 algorithm support, make sure \cpp|CONFIG_CRYPTO_SHA256| is enabled in kernel.
 
 \samplec{examples/cryptosha256.c}