diff --git a/lib/actions/ui.js b/lib/actions/ui.js
index 28557e56..aeafd779 100644
--- a/lib/actions/ui.js
+++ b/lib/actions/ui.js
@@ -201,11 +201,14 @@ export function moveTo(i) {
 }
 
 export function showPreferences() {
+  const isWin = process.platform === 'win32';
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
-  const command = process.platform === 'win32' ? ' start notepad "%userprofile%\\.hyper.js"' : ' bash -c \'exec env ${EDITOR:=nano} ~/.hyper.js\'';
-  const message = process.platform === 'win32' ?
+  const command = isWin ? ' start notepad "%userprofile%\\.hyper.js"' : ' bash -c \'exec env ${EDITOR:=nano} ~/.hyper.js\'';
+  const message = [];
+  message.push(isWin ?
     ' echo Attempting to open ^%userprofile^%\\.hyper.js with notepad' :
-    ' echo Attempting to open ~/.hyper.js with your \\$EDITOR';
+    ' echo Attempting to open ~/.hyper.js with your \\$EDITOR');
+  message.push(' echo If it fails, open it manually with your favorite editor!');
 
   return dispatch => {
     dispatch({
@@ -217,9 +220,8 @@ export function showPreferences() {
           rpc.once('session data', () => {
             dispatch(sendSessionData(
               uid,
-              [ // Leading space prevents command to be stored in shell history
-                ' echo Attempting to open ~/.hyper.js with your \$EDITOR', // eslint-disable-line no-useless-escape
-                message,
+              [
+                ...message,
                 command,
                 ''
               ].join('\n\r')