diff --git a/tome.lic b/tome.lic
index 06bfe51a36..1782fbe5f1 100644
--- a/tome.lic
+++ b/tome.lic
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ class Tome
     @passive = args.active ? false : @tome_settings['passive']
     @no_use_rooms = @settings.sanowret_no_use_rooms
 
+    # check to ensure tome is defined in gear, and warn user if not
+    if settings.gear.find { |item| @tome =~ /#{item[:adjective]}\s*#{item[:name]}/i }.nil?
+      message = "To minimize the possibility that items that you hold in your hands could be lost they should be listed in your `gear:`. Your tome is not listed in your `gear:` settings:"
+      message += "\n  - #{@tome}"
+      message += "\nIf you need assistance with this, please ask in the lich discord (listed in #{$clean_lich_char}links) for help."
+      message += "\n\n---This check is *advisory* for now, but will become mandatory in the near future.---"
+      DRC.message(message)
+      pause 10
+    end
+
     @penultimate_pages = {
       'tel\'athi treatise'      => "Most S'Kra, whether they call them such or not, are familiar with the Eight Gifts",
       'mikkhalbamar manuscript' => "In both cases the rituals involving consignment are nearly identical",