diff --git a/crates/bin/pindexer/README.md b/crates/bin/pindexer/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3e94221e2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/bin/pindexer/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# pindexer
+
+A indexer that ingests ABCI events emitted by pd and transforms them into useful data.
+
+## Usage
+
+1. Follow the setup instructions in cometindex README
+2. `cargo run --bin pindexer -- -s "postgresql://localhost:5432/testnet_raw?sslmode=disable" -d "postgresql://localhost:5432/testnet_compiled?sslmode=disable"`
+
+## pd compatibility
+
diff --git a/crates/bin/pindexer/src/block.rs b/crates/bin/pindexer/src/block.rs
index 6f3aa3b676..21ee69dc79 100644
--- a/crates/bin/pindexer/src/block.rs
+++ b/crates/bin/pindexer/src/block.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::PD_COMPAT;
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use cometindex::{async_trait, sqlx, AppView, ContextualizedEvent, PgTransaction};
 use penumbra_proto::{core::component::sct::v1 as pb, event::ProtoEvent};
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS block_details (
         .bind(i64::try_from(pe.height)?)
         .bind(
             DateTime::from_timestamp(timestamp.seconds, u32::try_from(timestamp.nanos)?)
-                .ok_or(anyhow!("failed to convert timestamp"))?,
+                .ok_or(anyhow!(format!("failed to convert timestamp. {PD_COMPAT}")))?,
         )
         .bind(pe.root.unwrap().inner)
         .execute(dbtx.as_mut())
diff --git a/crates/bin/pindexer/src/lib.rs b/crates/bin/pindexer/src/lib.rs
index 9c443724d8..b4e5b3c89e 100644
--- a/crates/bin/pindexer/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bin/pindexer/src/lib.rs
@@ -7,3 +7,5 @@ pub mod dex;
 pub mod shielded_pool;
 mod sql;
 pub mod stake;
+
+pub(crate) const PD_COMPAT: &'static str = "Check that your pd and pindexer versions match. See pd compatibility section in README for more information.";