diff --git a/bootstrap/selfconfig-root b/bootstrap/selfconfig-root
index ef5284718..8ccbfeb5d 100755
--- a/bootstrap/selfconfig-root
+++ b/bootstrap/selfconfig-root
@@ -318,6 +318,18 @@ run_cmd(qw(ln -s /data/pause /home/ftp));
 
 Path::Tiny::path("/home/pause/pause/cron/CRONTAB.ROOT")->copy("/etc/cron.d/pause");
 
+{
+  # We want to see the MOTD when logging in, but we don't want the "Debian has no
+  # warranty" text, which is a distraction. -- rjbs, 2024-04-27
+  Path::Tiny::path("/etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/pause-motd")->spew("PrintMotd yes\n");
+  Path::Tiny::path("/etc/motd")->spew("");
+
+  Path::Tiny::path("/etc/update-motd.d/00-pause")->spew(<<~'END')->chmod('a+x');
+  #!/bin/sh
+  cat /home/pause/pause/etc/motd
+  END
+}
+
 if ($opt->enable_mail) {
   my $relayhost = $opt->relay_host;
   my $relayport = $opt->relay_port;
diff --git a/etc/motd b/etc/motd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d808be48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/motd
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+welcome     oooooooooo   o    ooooo  oooo oooooooo8 ooooooooooo
+     to      888    888 888    888    88 888         888    88
+             888oooo88 8  88   888    88  888oooooo  888ooo8
+             888      8oooo88  888    88         888 888    oo
+            o888o   o88o  o888o 888oo88  o88oooo888 o888ooo8888
+
+    You're probably here to check whether things are working, or to deploy
+    and update to PAUSE.  For more information on doing this stuff, check the
+    docs: https://github.com/andk/pause/tree/master/doc
+
+    They're not thorough yet, but they will get better.
+
+    To act as the pause user, remember to run: sudo -u pause -i
+
+