diff --git a/src/poetry/console/application.py b/src/poetry/console/application.py
index 89f78bf0819..1ff189bd819 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/application.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/application.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from cleo.events.console_command_event import ConsoleCommandEvent
 from cleo.events.console_events import COMMAND
 from cleo.events.event_dispatcher import EventDispatcher
+from cleo.exceptions import CleoCommandNotFoundError
 from cleo.exceptions import CleoError
 from cleo.formatters.style import Style
 
@@ -94,6 +95,25 @@ def _load() -> Command:
     "source show",
 ]
 
+# these are special messages to override the default message when a command is not found
+# in cases where a previously existing command has been moved to a plugin or outright
+# removed for various reasons
+COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE = (
+    "Looks like you're trying to use a Poetry command that is not available."
+)
+COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGES = {
+    "shell": """
+Since <info>Poetry (<b>2.0.0</>)</>, the <c1>shell</> command is not installed by default. You can use,
+
+  - the new <c1>env activate</> command (<b>recommended</>); or
+  - the <c1>shell plugin</> to install the <c1>shell</> command
+
+<b>Documentation:</> https://python-poetry.org/docs/managing-environments/#activating-the-environment
+
+<warning>Note that the <c1>env activate</> command is not a direct replacement for <c1>shell</> command.
+"""
+}
+
 
 class Application(BaseApplication):
     def __init__(self) -> None:
@@ -228,7 +248,20 @@ def _run(self, io: IO) -> int:
         self._load_plugins(io)
 
         with directory(self._working_directory):
-            exit_code: int = super()._run(io)
+            try:
+                exit_code: int = super()._run(io)
+            except CleoCommandNotFoundError as e:
+                command = self._get_command_name(io)
+
+                if command is not None and (
+                    message := COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGES.get(command)
+                ):
+                    io.write_error_line("")
+                    io.write_error_line(COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE)
+                    io.write_error_line(message)
+                    return 1
+
+                raise e
 
         return exit_code
 
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 39d71e172fc..d69dc6bd12d 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterator
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-from typing import Any
 
 import httpretty
 import keyring
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@
 
 from poetry.config.config import Config as BaseConfig
 from poetry.config.dict_config_source import DictConfigSource
+from poetry.console.commands.command import Command
 from poetry.factory import Factory
 from poetry.layouts import layout
 from poetry.packages.direct_origin import _get_package_from_git
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Iterator
     from collections.abc import Mapping
+    from typing import Any
+    from typing import Callable
 
+    from cleo.io.inputs.argument import Argument
+    from cleo.io.inputs.option import Option
     from keyring.credentials import Credential
     from pytest import Config as PyTestConfig
     from pytest import Parser
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@
     from pytest_mock import MockerFixture
 
     from poetry.poetry import Poetry
+    from tests.types import CommandFactory
     from tests.types import FixtureCopier
     from tests.types import FixtureDirGetter
     from tests.types import ProjectFactory
@@ -582,3 +587,43 @@ def project_context(project: str | Path, in_place: bool = False) -> Iterator[Pat
             yield path
 
     return project_context
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def command_factory() -> CommandFactory:
+    """
+    Provides a pytest fixture for creating mock commands using a factory function.
+
+    This fixture allows for customization of command attributes like name,
+    arguments, options, description, help text, and handler.
+    """
+
+    def _command_factory(
+        command_name: str,
+        command_arguments: list[Argument] | None = None,
+        command_options: list[Option] | None = None,
+        command_description: str = "",
+        command_help: str = "",
+        command_handler: Callable[[Command], int] | str | None = None,
+    ) -> Command:
+        class MockCommand(Command):
+            name = command_name
+            arguments = command_arguments or []
+            options = command_options or []
+            description = command_description
+            help = command_help
+
+            def handle(self) -> int:
+                if command_handler is not None and not isinstance(command_handler, str):
+                    return command_handler(self)
+
+                self._io.write_line(
+                    command_handler
+                    or f"The mock command '{command_name}' has been called"
+                )
+
+                return 0
+
+        return MockCommand()
+
+    return _command_factory
diff --git a/tests/console/test_application_removed_commands.py b/tests/console/test_application_removed_commands.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5f328dbc73a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/console/test_application_removed_commands.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+import pytest
+
+from cleo.testers.application_tester import ApplicationTester
+
+from poetry.console.application import COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE
+from poetry.console.application import Application
+
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from tests.types import CommandFactory
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tester() -> ApplicationTester:
+    return ApplicationTester(Application())
+
+
+def test_application_removed_command_default_message(
+    tester: ApplicationTester,
+) -> None:
+    tester.execute("nonexistent")
+    assert tester.status_code != 0
+
+    stderr = tester.io.fetch_error()
+    assert COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE not in stderr
+    assert 'The command "nonexistent" does not exist.' in stderr
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("command", "message"),
+    [
+        ("shell", "shell command is not installed by default"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_application_removed_command_messages(
+    command: str,
+    message: str,
+    tester: ApplicationTester,
+    command_factory: CommandFactory,
+) -> None:
+    # ensure precondition is met
+    assert not tester.application.has(command)
+
+    # verify that the custom message is returned and command fails
+    tester.execute(command)
+    assert tester.status_code != 0
+
+    stderr = tester.io.fetch_error()
+    assert COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE in stderr
+    assert message in stderr
+
+    # flush any output/error messages to ensure consistency
+    tester.io.clear()
+
+    # add a mock command and verify the command succeeds and no error message is provided
+    message = "The shell command was called"
+    tester.application.add(command_factory(command, command_handler=message))
+    assert tester.application.has(command)
+
+    tester.execute(command)
+    assert tester.status_code == 0
+
+    stdout = tester.io.fetch_output()
+    stderr = tester.io.fetch_error()
+    assert message in stdout
+    assert COMMAND_NOT_FOUND_PREFIX_MESSAGE not in stderr
+    assert stderr == ""
diff --git a/tests/types.py b/tests/types.py
index a9b2e8079d9..7027be6af79 100644
--- a/tests/types.py
+++ b/tests/types.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
     from contextlib import AbstractContextManager
     from pathlib import Path
 
+    from cleo.io.inputs.argument import Argument
+    from cleo.io.inputs.option import Option
     from cleo.io.io import IO
     from cleo.testers.command_tester import CommandTester
     from httpretty.core import HTTPrettyRequest
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@
 
     from poetry.config.config import Config
     from poetry.config.source import Source
+    from poetry.console.commands.command import Command
     from poetry.installation import Installer
     from poetry.installation.executor import Executor
     from poetry.poetry import Poetry
@@ -65,6 +68,18 @@ def __call__(
     ) -> Poetry: ...
 
 
+class CommandFactory(Protocol):
+    def __call__(
+        self,
+        command_name: str,
+        command_arguments: list[Argument] | None = None,
+        command_options: list[Option] | None = None,
+        command_description: str = "",
+        command_help: str = "",
+        command_handler: Callable[[Command], int] | str | None = None,
+    ) -> Command: ...
+
+
 class FixtureDirGetter(Protocol):
     def __call__(self, name: str) -> Path: ...