diff --git a/almanac.lic b/almanac.lic
index 3a58c56a41..8cc74daf13 100644
--- a/almanac.lic
+++ b/almanac.lic
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ class Almanac
 
     startup_delay = settings.almanac_startup_delay
 
+    # check to ensure almanac is defined in gear, and warn user if not
+    if settings.gear.find { |item| @almanac =~ /#{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 almanac is not listed in your `gear:` settings:"
+      message += "\n  - #{@almanac}"
+      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
+
     pause startup_delay
     passive_loop
   end