diff --git a/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_clean.rs b/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_clean.rs
index da0f5c599..0c7c613c8 100644
--- a/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_clean.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_clean.rs
@@ -28,17 +28,19 @@ pub(crate) fn cache_clean(
         return Ok(ExitStatus::Success);
     }
 
-    let cache = if force {
-        // If `--force` is used, attempt to acquire the exclusive lock but do not block.
-        match cache.with_exclusive_lock_no_wait() {
-            Ok(cache) => cache,
-            Err(cache) => {
-                debug!("Cache is currently in use, proceeding due to `--force`");
-                cache
-            }
+    let cache = match cache.with_exclusive_lock_no_wait() {
+        Ok(cache) => cache,
+        Err(cache) if force => {
+            debug!("Cache is currently in use, proceeding due to `--force`");
+            cache
+        }
+        Err(cache) => {
+            writeln!(
+                printer.stderr(),
+                "Cache is currently in-use, waiting for other uv processes to finish (use `--force` to override)"
+            )?;
+            cache.with_exclusive_lock()?
         }
-    } else {
-        cache.with_exclusive_lock()?
     };
 
     let summary = if packages.is_empty() {
diff --git a/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_prune.rs b/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_prune.rs
index 1087a0043..af7b445d5 100644
--- a/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_prune.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/src/commands/cache_prune.rs
@@ -26,17 +26,19 @@ pub(crate) fn cache_prune(
         return Ok(ExitStatus::Success);
     }
 
-    let cache = if force {
-        // If `--force` is used, attempt to acquire the exclusive lock but do not block.
-        match cache.with_exclusive_lock_no_wait() {
-            Ok(cache) => cache,
-            Err(cache) => {
-                debug!("Cache is currently in use, proceeding due to `--force`");
-                cache
-            }
+    let cache = match cache.with_exclusive_lock_no_wait() {
+        Ok(cache) => cache,
+        Err(cache) if force => {
+            debug!("Cache is currently in use, proceeding due to `--force`");
+            cache
+        }
+        Err(cache) => {
+            writeln!(
+                printer.stderr(),
+                "Cache is currently in-use, waiting for other uv processes to finish (use `--force` to override)"
+            )?;
+            cache.with_exclusive_lock()?
         }
-    } else {
-        cache.with_exclusive_lock()?
     };
 
     writeln!(