diff --git a/lang/en/install.php b/lang/en/install.php
index 78e7705d77a..aceb61fca90 100644
--- a/lang/en/install.php
+++ b/lang/en/install.php
@@ -356,6 +356,8 @@ $string['skipdbencodingtest'] = 'Skip DB encoding test';
 $string['nativesqlsrv'] = 'SQL*Server Microsoft (native/sqlsrv)';
 $string['nativesqlsrvhelp'] = 'Now you need to configure the database where most Moodle data will be stored.
 This database must already have been created and a username and password created to access it. Table prefix is mandatory.';
+$string['nativesqlsrvnodriver'] = 'Microsoft Drivers for SQL Server for PHP are not installed or not configured properly.';
+$string['nativesqlsrvnonwindows'] = 'Microsoft Drivers for SQL Server for PHP are available only for Windows OS.';
 $string['sqliteextensionisnotpresentinphp'] = 'PHP has not been properly configured with the SQLite extension.  Please check your php.ini file or recompile PHP.';
 $string['upgradingqtypeplugin'] = 'Upgrading question/type plugin';
 $string['welcomep10'] = '{$a->installername} ({$a->installerversion})';
diff --git a/lib/dml/sqlsrv_native_moodle_database.php b/lib/dml/sqlsrv_native_moodle_database.php
index b2b0e6066a1..90ec10479e5 100644
--- a/lib/dml/sqlsrv_native_moodle_database.php
+++ b/lib/dml/sqlsrv_native_moodle_database.php
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ class sqlsrv_native_moodle_database extends moodle_database {
         // the name used by 'extension_loaded()' is case specific! The extension
         // therefore *could be* mixed case and hence not found.
         if (!function_exists('sqlsrv_num_rows')) {
-            return get_string('sqlsrvextensionisnotpresentinphp', 'install');
+            if (stripos(PHP_OS, 'win') === 0) {
+                return get_string('nativesqlsrvnodriver', 'install');
+            } else {
+                return get_string('nativesqlsrvnonwindows', 'install');
+            }
         }
         return true;
     }